It was unbelievable. And yet Hiccup sat there, subconsciously leaning forward like a child attentive in the storyteller's dramatic retelling of events that may have been exaggerated for entertainment value. Astrid did very well in recounting this particular span of history she had lived through, the same one he was suppose to have lived through, eyes wide as he listened to every single detail.

He seriously thought it sounded more like an epic centuries old than anything he would do in his lifetime.

The range of emotions immediately washed over him again at each interval, picking up, dropping, and somehow ending with relief. Was there any sadness? He wasn't sure. The feeling of uncertainty was strong and it held itself over everything that had been said, everything he went through.

Everything he was going to go through.

When she touched his chest with a finger, it was like he was reminded to exhale. He didn't even realize he had been holding his breath the entire time. His brow furrowed. Him? Change the opinion of a whole village? That was impossible. There weren't many who could do that. "That would take a miracle," he thought aloud, dropping his gaze as he crossed his arms over his stomach. And yet Astrid said he did. She wouldn't be lying - it would be terrible if she was, but she wasn't.

He knew she wasn't. Because she was right.

After a long pause, a sad chuckle escaped him. Green eyes flicked back over to the other Viking.

"...I don't know where to start."