For days, Hiccup remained in what appeared to be a coma. He lay on his bed, unmoving, constantly being checked over by Gothi. The arrow had pulled out of his chest and Gothi had said the injury could have been much worse, but the chances of him surviving were slim.
Every night, the remaining Vikings and dragons stood outside Hiccup's house, saying countless prayers to Odin for him to live. Until finally, there was news from Gothi.
“There is nothing she can do for him now,” translated Gobber. “She has healed as much as she can on the outside, but it's up to his body to cure the inside. We can only pray that it can heal itself before life slips from his body.”
“Is there a chance he won't make it?” asked Fishlegs, biting his fingernails in anxiety.
Gothi continued to trace shapes in the sand. “If he is strong and fights back, he will survive. But there is a chance he won't and will let Odin welcome him into Valhalla.”
After hearing this, Astrid headed to Hiccup's house and walked inside. Sitting at the big wooden table in the main room were Valka and Toothless, with Cloudjumper watching from outside because he couldn't fit in the room. There was utter silence as even the Night Fury looked like he was praying.
“Can I see Hiccup?” asked Astrid.
Valka nodded silently.
The girl rushed up the stairs and opened his bedroom door, to reveal a very pale and very still Hiccup on the bed.
“Hiccup?” she whispered, as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Hiccup, please give me a sign that you're still there. Please just tell me you're still alive.”
As if in response, Hiccup let out a drowsy grunt and his eyes slowly flickered half open. It was visible that he was using all his strength just to stay awake.
“Astri...” he said in a coarse whisper, not quite managing to finish her name.
Astrid immediately lifted up his head so he could see her better. “I'm here, I'm here! Don't go back to sleep,” she pleaded, tears springing into her eyes.
With all his strength, Hiccup moved his arm upwards and reached towards the drawer next to the bed. Figuring he was trying to reach something, Astrid hastily moved the drawer forwards to make it easier for him.
He fumbled through all the items, knocking half of them over, until he finally reached a small box. He placed it in Astrid's hand gently and opened it, not finding enough strength to speak words.
It was a ring.
Astrid gasped. She hadn't been expecting that. Smiling, she slowly closed the box again.
“No,”she said gently. “I'm not marrying you because I don't want to be a widow. Here's the deal: live and I'll say yes. You have to. Got it?”
Hiccup smiled and nodded, before slowly drifting back to sleep again.
After kissing him gently on the cheek, Astrid headed downstairs, hoping with all her heart that he would live.

The next day, the village of Berk was more lively than ever. News had gone round from Gothi that Hiccup had mysteriously found the strength to fight the internal injury and, little by little, was getting better and closer to living. When asked how by Gothi, Hiccup had said: “A beautiful Valkyrie came to me and convinced me to fight back.”
As well as the Vikings, the dragons were hyper, too. Constant chirping and roaring with happiness could be heard as soon as the news had got out. Usually this would have annoyed the villagers, but they were being very loud too, so hardly anyone noticed.
And barely twenty-four hours later, it was said that Hiccup was nearly back to normal.
Even though Gothi had said no one was to visit the young chief, Valka had disobeyed those orders as soon as she heard her son was getting better.
She rushed upstairs and swung open the door, and tears of happiness poured down her face when she saw her son sitting up on the bed, being looked over by Gothi.
“HICCUP!” Valka ran towards him and gave him one of the tightest hugs a mother could ever give.
“Ow, watch my chest!” Hiccup said, equally as happy.
“Sorry, sorry!” Valka loosened her hug and looked her son in the eyes. “I thought I'd lost you...”
“Us too.” The mother and son turned and turned Astrid leaning against the doorway, with Toothless sitting beside her. The dragon was shaking with excitement and wanted to pounce on Hiccup right there and then, but Astrid had told him to be careful. Instead, he bounded over like a puppy and licked his face, covering him in saliva.
“Ugh! Toothless, stop!” laughed the young man as he pushed the dragon away playfully. He wiped his face with his sleeves and then finally fully noticed Astrid, who was still leaning against the doorway, smiling. He smiled back.
“So?” he asked, unable to contain his impatience.
She walked over to him and gave him a hard punch in the arm. “That's for asking when you were on your deathbed!”
Hiccup rubbed his arm and smiled even more, knowing what was going to come next. “And?”
Astrid sat on the edge of the bed and looked him in the eyes. “And this is my answer.” Before Hiccup could reply, she grabbed the neck of his tunic and pulled him to her lips.

Now that Hiccup is awake properly, we can switch to his point of view.

We remained in the kiss for what seemed like forever, and I was a little sad when it ended. But she had accepted, I was alive, and everything looked liked it was going to be okay again.
But everyone was so taken over by happiness, that we didn't realise Savage was still out there. And one day, he could come back for revenge.
Once and for all.