Thanks for all the feedback so far!
Here's chapter 1!
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It was a sunny morning on Berk, and one of the most peaceful since Savage had attacked. Terrible Terrors were singing on the rooftops, seagulls were calling from the shore, but the quiet atmosphere meant no one had properly woken up yet, except for me.
I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, a smile on my face. I glanced over to my side and smiled even more as I saw Astrid sleeping peacefully, her bump visible from under the covers.
It had been eight months since Gothi had announced that she was pregnant. The gender was unknown, but we didn't really care. As long as the baby was healthy. Astrid had said she wanted the child to grow up a strong warrior, but also an inventor like me.
I kissed her forehead gently and got up, making sure not to wake her. I put on my prosthetic and reached for my shirt. I was about to put it on, but I stopped as I noticed the scar on my chest from where Savage had shot me. A hint of worry came over me as I thought back to last year, but I ignored it and put the shirt on.
I walked outside and looked at the village. My village. It was still in a bit of a state since being burnt to the ground, but it was slowly being rebuilt and was nearly back to normal.
Even though I hadn't believed it at first, I was a good chief. I had proved it not only to my people, but to myself. And no one could convince me otherwise.
“Johann!” I jumped down on to the deck with Toothless as the trader anchored his ship in place. He turned and beamed, showing his well-kept teeth.
“Ah, Master Hiccup!” he said amiably, pulling me into a hug. “Why, this is my first visit since you've become chief! Ah, dear Stoick shall be missed...”
“Hi, Johann!” We turned round and saw Astrid being helped down on to the boat by Stormfly. “Got any axes I can have a look at?”
“Plenty, plenty!” he replied, pulling her into a smaller hug as he noticed her bump. “And I also have some things a kid would like too, if you're interested!” He gestured to the bump. “Do you think it will be a boy or a girl chieftain?”
“We're happy with either,” I said as I put my arm round her, pretty sure I was the happiest man on Berk at that moment.
“Well I congratulate you!” said Johann, wiping away what looked like tears. “As a gift, choose any item and you may have it! I'd give you more, but a trader must trade, am I right?”
“Of course,” I said smiling, as more and more villagers started making their way towards the docks to see Johann.
While Astrid was focusing on weapons, Toothless and I rummaged round the armour section, hoping to find something to add to my flight suit. As I looked inside one of the baskets, my heart skipped a beat as I saw something I'd hoped I'd never see again.
“Johann... where did you find this?”
The trader immediately came to our side and looked at what I was holding. Astrid came too, wondering what I'd found. She gasped as she recognised it.
It was Savage's iron helmet.
“That washed up on a beach far from here, Master Hiccup,” said Johann. “I couldn't just leave it there, because as you can see, the metalwork is quite outstanding. Would you like it?”
I turned to Astrid, a worried look on my face. She put a hand on my shoulder reassuringly.
“Hiccup, don't worry about it. He's gone.”
“But is he, though?” I asked out loud. “We never ended up catching him. It's entirely possible that he could come back.”
“Who do you speak of?” asked Johann, who had obviously been travelling too much to hear about Savage.
“Savage, Alvin's old right-hand man, now a bloodthirsty maniac who kills for the fun of it and who attacked us last year,” I said all in one go, a determined look on my face. I stared down at the mask, and the paranoid part of me made me think it was staring back.
Watching our every move.
Sorry it's a bit short, I suck at writing beginnings.
Hopefully the chapters will get longer as more stuff happens