The Hero's Return

Chapter 16 - The Cove

His drowsy expression barely made up what was going on. With fragments of the reunion between his mom and dad, Hiccup found himself was in a strange place, a small room had he had never seen before. However, as he dragged his lifeless body around, everything there seemed so familiar. He could clearly recognize his handwriting, his drawing and some of his notes about the nightfury. Along with it, a thick layer of dust.

"Is this my old room?" Hiccup asked himself while continued to wander, he slowly stepped down to the floor below.

His body still ached with each step, while his hand just managed to hold onto the wall. After minutes of struggling, Hiccup found himself at the living quarter, where a bubbling pot of food met him and welcomed his grumbling stomach with open arms. 

After devouring the massive pot of bubbling goodness with the appetite that he did not know he had, Hiccup headed toward the wooden door and reached the nob with shaking and nervous hand. 

"A few steps, Hiccup. It's only a few steps." Hiccup said to himself however before he could even do anything, the door swung opened on its own revealing a worried Astrid. She stared at the nervous Hiccup, unmoving. The auburn hair and the emerald eyes were in front of her eyes, they greeted her happily, turning her mind blank. "Is there something on my face?" Hiccup asked questioningly, snapping her back into reality.

"You should be up yet, Gothi said you still need plenty of rest." Astrid made her way in as she guided Hiccup back to the living quarter.

"I am fine, Astrid. I got down here, didn't I?"

"No, you are not. Look at you, you are barely standing upright. You are only allowed to leave the after two weeks." Astrid said. "You need your rest, Hiccup, otherwise, it will take even longer for you to recover."

"How is my mom and Toothless doing? Are they fitting in well?"

"Honestly, that what you are worried about? Remember Hiccup, your mom is from Berk, so she is fitting in nicely with the older generation, they have been catching up since yesterday. With the celebration and everything. As for Toothless, he is fine, though, no one could really take him flying."

"He can be quiet grumpy when he doesn't get his morning flight." Hiccup chuckled at the tired expression on Astrid's face.

"Well, dealing with Toothless is still better than the Thorstons any day."

"Seeing how the destroyed Drago's ships, I could only imagine."

"You had no ideas, Hiccup." Astrid with a petrifying expression as she tried to forget the countless time those two almost had burnt her hair off.

"By the way, Astrid. Thank you for coming to save me."

Hiccup blurted out, as he held Astrid in his arms. Letting the minutes ticked by, the two of them bathed in each other present. Not uttering a single word, only the comfortable silence to accompany them.

"You know, Hiccup. You are going to meet Berk, again. This time, not as Dragon Master, but as Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the III."

"Do I really have to?" Hiccup asked.

"Yes, Hiccup. You have to, besides, your parents and mine are talking about our marriage..." Astrid's voice trailed off while her cheek turned blood-red cheeks.

"Mar-Marriage? Are you sure about this?" Hiccup stuttered equally as red. "Are we moving a little bit too fast here?"

"That's what I said to them, but they since they know that we have given ourselves to each other... they refused to listen to me." Astrid whispered in the tiniest of voice.