Never Be Alone
Hiccup sighed as Astrid got up and walked off, her body language telling him she was angry, they'd been married too long, and friends even longer than that, for them to need words. Hiccup got up as quickly as his battle scares and old limbs would allow and chased after her.
"Astrid, wait."
Stopping her gently with a hand on her shoulder he turned her to face him, hoping to convince her of what he was about to say.
"Astrid, I know you've never needed flowery words, but …"
…What? What word could he find to convince her? They both knew he couldn't stay, but dammit he didn't want to leave her, or their daughter….
"Astrid, I can't stay, you know that, I have to go, if I don't Valgard will destroy Berk-"
"But its suicide Hiccup!" She stressed her voice shaking with her fear. Not an emotion Astrid usually displayed,… only with him.
"I know, but I'm Chief, Astrid, I have to go."
Gently he ran his hand down her arm and held her hand tightly in his. His other hand brushed aside her hair and he tried to give her an encouraging smile.
"Astrid, I love you, but I have to protect Berk, I have to protect you and our daughter."
Her head titled down as tears welled in her eyes she tried to hide them from him, but it was too late. Sighing he titled her head up till their eyes met again. His brave, warrior wife never cried, only when-
Hiccup stopped short, his breath rushing in a shocked gasp.
He felt his knees buckle, how could he leave now? How could he think about the battle ahead when….
"Astrid are you?-"
A sad smile spread across her face, as she wiped at her eyes.
"Stupid tears." She mutter with a short laugh. "Yes,… I'm pregnant again Hiccup, I know it's stupid but I just couldn't handle it with you leaving I just kept thinking about how you wouldn't see our child, that you'd –" She couldn't finish and he gathered her close and held her against his chest, his heart beating with joy and fear, how could he let her go through this alone again? He'd missed the birth of their first born daughter; Heather, how could he stand to miss the birth of their child again?
A shiver of dread moved down Hiccup's spin to think how ill Astrid had been the first few months, how many times he had come close to losing them both.
"Please don't go Hiccup."
Astrid's muffled fearful voice seemed to vibrate through him as he cradled her to his chest. Stroking her hair and wishing he could never let her go.
"Oh, Astrid, I have to, but just let me hold you a little while longer, please. I need you Astrid. I can't make it through this fight alone."
Her head shot up and she clung to his tunic, gripping it in almost frantic hands. Her blue eyes teaming with tears.
"Then let me go with you."
Hiccup wasn't surprised, but he was appalled. They'd flown out to many a battle side by side but he couldn't possible let her come with him this time.
"No Astrid, its ridiculous! You can't. Think about the baby, need I remind you what happened with Heather?" He asked unnecessarily but made sure a teasing note was in his tone.
Astrid had disobeyed his request to stay off Stormfly in her later months of pregnancy and had ended up being kidnapped by Dagur and held prisoner aboard his ship for three months. She'd given birth to their daughter Heather in the Captain's quarters below deck. It still wrangled his blood to know that Dagur had been there for the birth of his child and not him. It was also still hard to accept that he owed Dagur his wife and daughters' lives. He knew there was a word for that….irony.
"I'll be fine, I'm only a few weeks, not seven months, I can still fly Stormfly and no one will know about the baby."
He would know!
Hiccup grumbled to himself.
"No." He adamantly declared to her, and just like that his fragile pregnant wife lost her soft emotions and went toe to toe with him on the matter.
"You're not the Chief of me, Hiccup."
Hiccup stepped back and laughed.
"Actually I am. I'm the Chief of everyone on Berk, especially the unruly ones that like to fly off and get themselves in danger."
Her blue eyes flared.
"Says the Viking Chief who's riding to his death in the morning." She stated with a strong stance but he noted the tremor in her voice.
"Astrid-" He reached for her but she thumped him square in the gut. Hiccup gasped then gulped at the pain.
"Never gets old." He muttered, through clenched teeth, though he was half laughing.
"I'm going."
"No you're not."
"Yes I am." Hiccup rolled his eyes as he stood back again and folded his arms over his chest.
"No, you're not, I'm putting my foot down."
This time her temper broke and she laughed too.
"Remember the last time you tried that?"
Hiccup smiled remembering the day fondly, it had been a major turning point in their relationship. So much had happened that day,….and he'd nearly lost her multiple times….which just went to prove his point.
"Yes, I do, and I remember how you nearly got yourself killed many times."
She huffed and waved a hand in the air as she shrugged.
"So did you, it actually was good I was with you or that Triple Strike would have killed you."
Hiccup wanted to concede but knew they spoke about more than just that one time. They'd both been fortunate that day but tomorrow was another thing entirely, and she could rant and rave all she liked he was not letting her go.
"Astrid." He said warningly. She looked about to argue again but sighed instead.
"Can we please not fight, just for tonight?" He pleaded.
She looked at him with a look that suggested she could carry on this fight till next Thor's day Thursday. After a moment or too she sighed.
"I'm sorry Astrid, I have to do this."
He drew her back into his arms and kissed her intently.
"I promise you, I'll come back, I promise I won't leave you."
A few moments passed in silence as he held her, then he realised she was crying again.
"That's what my father said." Hiccup recoiled, realising too late what he'd said. Astrid's father had promised not to leave her, and that he'd return to her at the last great battle of Berk…Four years ago….
He hadn't made it back.
Astrid had been devastated and it hadn't helped her condition at the time. Hiccup had been never more terrified in his life. They'd come so close to losing the baby that day, and Astrid with her.
The more Hiccup thought upon their news the more terrified he became. Was it foolish of him to hope that this time round she'd be stronger?
"I'll come back to you Astrid I swear it." Hiccup proclaimed vehemently.
Taking her hand again he led her back to the spot they'd been sitting at before.
He sat down and drew her onto his lap. Holding her to him, he let the warmth of their bodies keep at bay the cool Berkian evening air.
There were many many evenings spent together here on this sea stack. With her alone in his embrace. It chilled him to the bone, like not winter could, to think tonight could be their last night together.
"We've changed, Hiccup."
Astrid suddenly spoke her voice soft and he weighed every syllable she spoke as if he'd never hear her sweet voice again.
"I known." He sadly agreed. Stroking her hair as she lay against him. Her fingers fiddled with the buckles and contraptions on his arm.
They had changed so much. Marriage had been nothing like he'd thought, but in many ways it had been better than anything he could ever imagine….like when it came to grand entrances. For example that time she'd been taken by the Roman Legion and Hiccup had rode in on Toothless, plasma blasting their defences to pieces, brandishing the inferno, and declared of the Roman leader to "Get your hands off my Wife!" …..Tuff had been impressed with that catchphrase. As it were. Astrid had been held hostage with a sword to her throat, the Roman leader was so stunned by the Dragons attacking that he'd loosened his grip on Astrid – who'd promptly broken free and kicked his ass. While Hiccup took care of freeing the others. It was one of so many adventures they'd sheared together….
To be able to spend his nights and days by her side, partners in everything, was a dream that no words could articulate. He'd vowed to love and protect her, and defend Berk with her too, - yes that was true, - but if ever her life was endangered by the third vow he reverted back to the first two. Astrid and Heather were his life, and now their unborn child would be born to a peaceful Berk, not one ruled by Valgard, or anyone else whom was obsessed with bloodshed and imprisonment of Viking and Dragons alike. He'd make sure of it.
Tomorrow he'd face Valgard and bring him down.
Astrid was right they had changed. They'd grown and experienced so much.
"I wish I could go with you." She added, her voice taking on a hint of longing and sadness.
"Astrid…." Hiccup warned affectingly. His hand still stroking her hair.
"Dam this pregnancy stuff." She playfully thumped him in the leg. "I blame you for this, you know." She teased.
Hiccup laughed even as he grimaced at the pain. He found it amusing that she thought he was solely to blame in the matter and that she thought he'd not let her go with him simply because she was with child. He laughed ever harder at that nation. He wasn't letting her anywhere near Valgard. For the time being Valgard didn't know about Astrid, Heather or the Gang. Their children were safe and the people of Berk were at peace. He would keep it that way when he met with Valgard tomorrow. Oh, it was likely a trap he knew,…but if he was destined to be sent to Valhalla tomorrow then he would accept his fate.
He'd die to protect Astrid. To protect them all.
"A Chief protects his own."….his father's words seemed to ring on the evening air, making Hiccup feel both comforted and saddened at the same time.
"I'm not kidding." Astrid declared, thinking his over enthusiastic laugher was actually connected to her first remark and not what it implied.
Hiccup laughed again.
"Yep, sure uh-ha." He tease, and raised his arms up to playfully defend himself against the onslaught of her punching him and poking.
"You little-" The night air was filled with their laughter and merriment, and soon all thoughts of the morning were drowned out by the light of their love.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He relented. Laughing harder as she began to tickle him instead. A punishment far more harder to bear.
"No, please. Stop. Stop. Stop. Astrid, please!" He laughed and in one swift movement he'd grabbed her around her middle and turned her so she was flat on her back. She gasped in surprise and smiled up at him.
"Cheater." She chastised teasingly. Beginning to run her hands down his arm and across his chest.
The smile wavered on Hiccups lips as he looked down at her wondering hands. Fire lighting within his veins.
A sultry grin was firmly etched upon her face, her eyes sparkling in the setting sun as she reached up and laced her fingers through his hair, drawing him down to her. Their lips met in a fiery display of passion, seeking, eager and they were instantly inflamed.
When Hiccup drew back, their breathing was breathless and fevered. He smiled down at her.
"mmm-mm all my fault."
Astrid smiled cheekily and drew him down to meet her once more. Her hands continued their exploration of his body, his hands just as eager upon her skin, brushing at her shoulders and skilfully gliding across her collarbone and lower. There on the little sea stack, as the warmth of the sun left the land the two…..
…and that my friends, is a tale for another day….
J
END
Eliana Robinson
31/7/17
CREATION DATE – 31/7/17
PUBLISH DATE – 31/7/17
Never Be Alone Disclaimer
NEVER BE ALONE - is a Fanfiction of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON I do not own the characters or original plotline.
PLOTLINE: A new threat has come to Berk, Valgard, a bloodthirsty Viking seeking what all invaders seek, death and possession. Hiccup must ride out to meet this fearsome foe, but he has to do it alone, a fact Astrid is not too happy with. Could the secret she has save her husband from a suicidal mission or just make him more determined to go?
This story is NOTfor official publication or profit.
NEVER BE ALONE is a short tale in an unofficially link series between all my HTTYD fanfics and is purely meant as entertainment.
Valgard is of my own creation all other characters are not.
CREATION DATE – 31/7/17
PUBLISH DATE – 31/7/17
Part of the "Dragon Adventures" Series By Eliana Robinson
….
With incredible thanks to Aqualetra for her Hiccup and Toothless Video "Never Be Alone" a birthday greeting to theNightFuryFan95. That video was the core inspiration for this fanfic, it's a fantastic video I highly recommend it and MANY MANY thanks, Aqualetra your video just opened up another section of this all too delightfully fun to write series. THANK YOU!
I hope you all enjoy it – please leave a review and why not check out on youtube Aqualetra's video -Hiccup Toothless - Never Be Alone «Happy Birthday theNightFuryfan95 –
Keep an eye out for the next instalment of this series … coming soon…
Who is Valgard? Will Berk survive the dawn? …and will Hiccup ever get to see his child be born? Find out soon!
Or PM me for spoilers J
