The Eternal Valkyrie: War of the Realms (HTTYD fic)

Part 22

Chapter 21

Hiccup, Astrid and the gang returned to Asgard after Laufey had revealed all and they were to put it frankly, shocked. Sigyn, Tyr and Frey had to deliver their report to Odin about all the events that had transpired. It was all mind boggling really, Ve and Vili seemed to have had this planned out far earlier than anyone thought, Laufey joined their plot because he wanted a better future for his people, Sutr agreed to hand over the crown because he wanted his lover back. After everything that was revealed there were still many more questions that needed to be answered. The biggest one of them all was 'How do you destroy a Universe ending weapon?'

Laufey had assured them that the bow, Ragnarøkkr, was near indestructible and that was why it was placed in the Springs of Creation. But when the person that you wanted to keep the weapon away from is the only one that can access the Springs as of now, then that created a major dilemma. For now all Hiccup and the gang could do was wait.

When they had exited the Bifrost gateway Tuffnut immediately set out to look for Chicken. The blonde had to stop and stare open-mouthed when he did find his chicken, for said fowl was now sporting silvery Orihalcum armor and was lazily sitting on the lap of a Dwarf who was in conversation with Heimdall.

"Uhm...." Tuffnut, for once, was at a loss for words but the Dwarf greeted the group warmly. "Hello, I'm Brokkr." The Dwarf greeted and Toothless and Stormfly popped out of their tattoos to give the familiar man a greeting.

"Oh, you're the one Toothless said he met previously." Hiccup said as the group approached.

"That's right and I see you've come to pick up your chicken." Brokkr stated as he proceeded to hand the armored bird to Tuffnut.

"Yes... Yes," Tuffnut said before he hugged the clucking chicken close. "Oh I missed you so much baby! Have you been a good bird. Have you?" he started cooing and both Heimdall and Brokkr actually burst out laughing.

"Good.. HAHAHAH.. Goo-HAHAHA," Brokkr tried to stifle his guffaws while Heimdall quirked a smile. "That damn bird was a handful but she did help us out."

"What do you mean?" Tuffnut's head shot up and then he looked back at Chicken who was giving him an innocent expression, or a chicken version of an innocent expression. Neither Hiccup nor Astrid could be certain and Ruffnut just let out a groan while Snotlout shrugged.

"I'm afraid to ask," Ruffnut had grumbled.

"I'm hazy on the details too but Heimdall knows. He's just keeping his mouth shut cause he gave the bird mead." Brokkr laughed at the horrified look Tuffnut had on his face. The Blonde turned to Heimdall and shrieked "YOU GAVE CHICKEN MEAD!"

"She liked it......." Heimdall said sheepishly.

"I bet she did," Ruffnut now guffawed as she clapped her brother on the shoulder. "Come on let's go." She said and started tugging him away.

"But..... But......." Tuffnut sputtered. "I want to know what happened!"

When Ruffnut had dragged Tuffnut out of earshot Hiccup and Astrid noticed Heimdall let out a relieved breath. "You think he'll ever find out?" Hiccup heard Heimdall ask Brokkr quietly.

"Shhhh...." Brokkr shushed.

Hiccup looked to Astrid to see if she had overheard that as well. Astrid nodded but then said "I don't want to know......... Things are weird enough as it is." With that Hiccup shrugged. Anything Chicken had been up to while possibly drunk couldn't be so bad, right?

Snotlout, Fishlegs and the twins had gone their own ways which left Hiccup and Astrid to walk the city alone. Astrid had her arm around Hiccup's but it seemed her mind was a million miles away.

"Is something bothering you?" Hiccup asked as he noticed that Astrid was distracted.

"It's just...... uhm... you don't need to worry Hiccup." Astrid smiled at him as she leaned closer. "I was just thinking about it all."

"Yeah," Hiccup said. "I know what you mean. A lot has happened." The two walked through the city at ease, Toothless and Stormfly had gone off somewhere to do Dragon-knows-what which left their hosts with some privacy.

"Do you ever get the feeling.........." Astrid trailed off for a moment. "That since we got to Asgard we've just been minor players in the whole scheme of things now?"

"Yeah........" Hiccup mumbled. "But it isn't a bad thing."

"How so?"

"Think of this," Hiccup said as he snuggled a bit closer to Astrid as they walked which her blush slightly. "On Earth you had the weight of the world on your shoulders. Here, you can relax a bit. Even with the whole Universe-ending-crazy-woman loose....." Astrid laughed at this before Hiccup continued "There are other, more powerful players, getting ready to face her. This just isn't our fight."

"I know... I know...." Astrid mumbled. "I just...... want to feel useful too. Watching Sigyn fight made me realize how underpowered we humans really are." She said. "Compared to the Asgardians we look like moochers."

"Ruffnut has been teaching you more words I see," Hiccup laughed.

"Actually it was Snotlout who I heard it from." Astrid said with a quirk of her brow. "Seems Hookfang has been lazy for a while. Snotlout actually was complaining that all he did was eat and not put him on fire anymore."

"Hookfang?" Hiccup asked. "Wait.... He hasn't been putting Snotlout on fire? That's weird?"

"The Snotlout on fire bit or Hookfang not putting Snotlout on fire?" Astrid asked with a laugh.

"You know what I mean!" Hiccup poked her in the side causing the Valkyrie to jump. She returned the poke and both ended up laughing.

"But, yes, I think Hookfang is worrying about something." Astrid said. "You should go talk to him."

"Me?" Hiccup queried. "You're the one with the Dragon ring."

"So I am," Astrid told him. "Doesn't mean I excel in having a man-to-dragon conversation with one."

"Alright, I'll go talk to Hookfang but what will you be doing in the meantime then?" Hiccup asked genuinely curious.

"We have some time before Odin determines what the course of action should be." Astrid said. "I think I'd like to spend more time with you while we can but I also need to see a woman about a thing."

"A thing?" Hiccup looked confused.

"Yes a thing."

"You aren't going to tell me are you."

"Noooope," Astrid laughed as she streached the word. They walked in companionable silence towards the palace and Hiccup had a thought before they reached the gates. "Astrid, I just noticed. It's almost New years on Earth." he said which caused his girlfriend to look at him with surprise.

"It is?"

"Yeah, I was just counting all the days in my head since we went on this adventure." Hiccup said. "Happy New years Astrid."

"Happy New Years Hiccup," Astrid smiled before giving him a sweet kiss which had Hiccup blushing again.