The Mystery of the Dragon Riders

Chapter 11

"Hey Hiccup. "

Hiccup turned around and saw his most beautiful wife standing in front of him, looking at him with eyes filled with passion and love. Hiccup could feel that she was glowing and the environment around was like they were bowing before her as the grass and the trees leaning to another direction to let his wife made her way through it. She was wearing a long, knee-length, simple white satin dress with a shiny belt wrapped around her. Even though she was no longer could wear her usual battle outfit which was blue long sleeves shirt paired with knee-length skirt which decorated with plenty of sharp pointy nails. The outfit was completed with a belt of skulls around it. However, Hiccup insisted that his Astrid looked beautiful in everything.

If Hiccup already in love with the 'incomplete' Astrid, then, he obviously would melt and fell in unconscious love puddle when he saw the 'real' Astrid.

You see, Astrid had suffered some curse last 3 years and it was Hiccup's biggest regret until now. Astrid had lost her half soul during the last battle 3 years ago causing her to lose her voice and some personality. Hiccup had invested his time, knowledge and magic to let her soul come back to her for two weeks in every month. The people in Zuka Island somehow understood a bit but they did not really understood the details. Besides, this issue was strictly prohibited to say and Hiccup had used his magic to seal the people's memory and mouth to prevent the issue spoken out.

Although 'fake' Astrid did not change pysically but the spark in her blue sapphire eyes was gone. She maybe happy and always giggling at his jokes but something not right about her.

She always happy.

She did not angry, did not sad. It was like she became a happy robot with empty heart inside her. And yet, the worst of all, her sound of giggling could still spread her happiness to the world as if she was happy at the bottom of her heart. There were times that even Hiccup was almost tricked by her fake emotions. But Hiccup knew that her heart was breaking as her emotions was restricted by the chains inside her due to the lost of her half soul. That is why, he promised himself, he would cure her curse even if it cost his life.

Right now, the 'real' Astrid was standing in front of him with spark resurfaced in her eyes was enough to make his tears shimmering in his eyes. He rubbed away the tears, wore a large grin on his face as he slowly walked towards her. Astrid did not make any movements as she waited him to walk closer and closer to her. The next thing she knew, Hiccup pulled her into his warm embrace. Astrid could feel his breathe, his heartbeat and his fresh smell. She relaxed herself in his embrace as she let him poured out all his emotions that had hidden inside him for a month. Even though he could see her every two weeks for a month, he still missed her so so much.

Hiccup could not even control his emotions already as he cried and cried against her shoulder as his black outfit has turned back to his original auburn red outfit. This was one of the moments that Hiccup did not need to act a chief. For now, he was just a man who loved his wife and thirst for his wife to come back to him. There were times that Hiccup was afraid to be a chief and a father of two kids because this such position reminded him of Stoick. He could see that the responsibility of chief was huge and he would never done it without Toothless, without Thuggary, without his friends and villagers...

And without Astrid.

Astrid could feel his muscle contracted and relaxed at the same time as he continue to cry. All she could was slowly to carressed his hair and pat his back like a baby. He maybe a great chief and terrifying dragon riders but he could always act like a big baby in front of her. And that would never change.

"I'm home, Hiccup. "

~~~~~~~~~

"Then? "

Gobber asked eager to find out the continuation of story feeling that there are some interesting details in the story that he was not willing to miss. However, it looked like Thuggary was feeling the opposite because the next thing they knew, he remained silent. His long side hair bang shadowed his eyes until the people could not see his reaction.Thuggary released a long sigh and raised his head hinting the gang that he was alright. It was quite difficult for him and the gang though, not like Stoick and the other vikings knew anyway.

"Well, that will be another story. " Thuggary said as he ruffled his hair and put on his trademark grin, smiling widely like a big kid as if nothing happened just now. The vikings were having a complicated feeling towards the right hand chief's reaction. They could feel that something happened in their past but they wouldn't dare to ask anyway.

"Looks like I need to pay Hiccup a visit... Questioning... " Stoick thought.

"I know what you are thinking and the answer is very extremely, definitely NO." Thoggary said. Stoick wanted to reject or even said something to debate with him but nothing came out of his worthless mouth. Thuggary continued eyeing him until Stoick willing deflated.

"Wow, so that fishbone turned into a chief...that was something... " Snoutlout said as he folded his arms and huffed. He still could not believe, after all these years, he turned into someone Snoutlout would never believed it. His muscle, his leadership, his intelligence were something that Snoutlout probably would never had. He knew that he had really bullied him and left him in dirt five years ago but ever since the fishbone gone which made him the next candidate as a chief. And yet, the responsibility was so much, it made him so overwhelmed about it and now he thought about it. He was really useless in chiefting.

"They were right... Hiccup was better than me... Wait, what am I thinking? I should be better than that fishbone..!!!" Snoutlout thought as he ruffled his hair in annoyed, slapping his cheek harshly to wake him up. The twins was confused by Snoutlout 's sudden action but they just shrugged it off.

Triton had more questions that he anxiously wanted to answer it but the presence of the kids and Heather stopped his action.

"I thought you guys were playing outside? " Thuggary asked as he swiftly swooped Zephyr into his arms. "Mommy is waking. We can feel it. " Nuffink said as he stared deeply into Thuggary's eyes. Thuggary knew that look as he turned to see Heather and Camicazi. The girls knew what he was asking and nodded. Thuggary just bit his lip not knowing what to do and the chief was nowhere to be found. "Probably with lady Astrid... "

"There's a sudden large amount of aura was unleashed to the surrounding. Even the dragons were growling. " The rest of riders agreed as well. "The chief probably over the moon now.. " Thuggary gave them a weak smile thinking whether her awakening was good or a mistake but for now he would let the chief had his time of eternal. And suddenly, Zephyr could feel a sudden shivered feeling struck her like Toothless's plasma blast.

"Someone is coming with hundreds of boats. She is coming for daddy. " The gang was astonished by her description. If her statement is true, then...

"There's only one person I know besides him dares to challenge the chief... "

Thuggary groaned in annoy, not enjoying the presence. "I don't know which is worst, magician or Romans... " Before he could continue, a high pitch voice was heard from the door shocking them to freeze as the colour drained out from their face. "You two better go to your room. Run along now. " Thuggary shoved the kids into their room nearby the corner of the hall. The kids closed their door obediently but didn't close it tighly to take a slight peak.

"HONEY!!!!! "

"Thor, Almighty.... "