If She Was Gone…
_-_-_ Hiccup POV _-_-_
"Hiccup!" I heard Astrid call out to me.
I scanned my surroundings and saw Viggo holding Astrid hostage.
"VIGGO! LET ASTRID GO!"
He started to smirk. "Alright, if you say so." He started to make their way towards the edge of the volcano with Astrid struggling to escape his grasp with every ounce of strength she can muster.
"NO! WAIT! Stop! I'll do anything!" I shouted out in desperation.
Viggo stopped his movement, and looked me straight in eyes. I started to feel a bead of sweat drip down my forehead. I wasn't sweating because of the heat from the volcano, but rather from the idea of losing Astrid forever. 'I would let myself be killed if it meant that Astrid could continue to live'
"Anything you say, eh?" He said wickedly. His gaze starting to strengthen. I was now frozen, just like anyone facing up against a Flightmare.
"Yes! Anything"
"Okay, give me the Dragon Eye and I will give back your precious Astrid."
'Of course. Literally everything revolved around the damn thing.'
Should I give it to him? Or should I keep it and let Toothless shoot Viggo? No, that wouldn't work. He is still too close to Astrid, she could get hit. Or he could bring her down with him as he fell into the volcano. Damn it! This Dragon Eye… What is more important? Protecting all those unknown dragons, or protecting the love of my life? Of course the answer is easy, but my conscience would never let me forget the suffering and sacrifice.
'COME ON BRAIN! THINK! THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY! I can't lose Astrid, never. But exploring and those dragons.'
I sighed. My decision has been made. "Fine Viggo, here it is" I said as I pulled out the Dragon Eye from Toothless' side pouch.
"Hiccup, No! Don't do it!" Astrid yelled out.
Tears were threatening to fall from my eyes. "You don't understand Milady. You mean everything to me. I can't bear to lose you and not have you in my life."
"BUT HICCUP!" She shouted in retaliation.
"Listen to the lad, lass. There's nothing else to do." Viggo said.
"HICCUP PLEASE NO!"
"I'm sorry Astrid, I have to do it. Here Viggo, CATCH!" I said as I threw the Dragon Eye towards him.
The Dragon Eye flew in the air, every scene was in slow motion. Viggo's hand, eagerly reaching out to receive the map of dragons.
Little did he know, I intentionally threw it over his head.
The Dragon Eye was now passing his fingertips. Viggo jumped towards it, but unknowingly jumping towards his death. One fact he forgot. He was still holding onto Astrid. Sharp cries of agony started to fill the volcano.
"ASTRID! NOOO!" I pleaded as I began to run towards the edge where the love of my life and my archenemy were once standing.
A hand was hanging on the ledge of the volcano rim. Whose hand did it belong to?
I peered over the outskirt to see the owner of the hand. It was Astrid! THANK THOR!
"Hiccup! Please help me, I can't hold on anymore longer."
"Here! Take my hand!" I told her, as I reached out to grab her other hand. "Don't worry Milady, I'll save you!" I reassured her. But unknown to her, it was more for me.
I started to lift her up, she was half way up. Just a little further and she can be safe. I was exerting all of my strength I could gather up. Good thing I gained muscle from working at the forge for-like-ever.
Suddenly, I felt our grip loosening from the sweat that was building up because of the heat from lava. Astrid started to panic slowly. "Umm, Hiccup? I'm slipping! Do something please!" She pleaded.
The sounds of gurgling lava filled our ears as we both stared into each other's eyes. We both realized deep down in our hearts what was about to happen. In that exact moment she slipped. "ASTRID" – "HICCUP NO!" We both yelled out as I saw her fall to her unwarranted death. Just as her body made contact with the lava, everything was black.
*GASP*
I sharply intake air. It was only a dream, thank Odin for that. I am covered in cold sweat. I look around my room, it was filled with darkness and beams of sunlight threatening to come in. I looked towards the area Toothless would sleep. He's still sleeping. I wonder what time it is.
She was the – NO! – She is the reason I get up every day. Seeing her always gives me an energy boost. Without her, I'm no one. Without her, I'm not complete. Without her, I would never be where I am today. She is my rock, my foundation, my main supporter, my motivation, my inspiration, my light in the storm. Gods! I love her more than anything.
She is basically my first everything. My first love, first person who found out about the dragons, first person to ride a dragon (besides myself), first to find Dragon's Nest, my first kiss. I would be completely lost without her. Absolutely nothing.
If she was gone. If she was gone, I would have nothing. I wouldn't even be here; hell! I probably would have left Berk or be dead already. Everything here today, wouldn't be here if she was gone. She is my go-to person whenever I needed another opinion. She deserves everything, plus more! Then it hit me.
Everything would be so different without her. If she was gone, I would probably have to date someone else in the village, like Ruffnut. I let that settle in my head for a little bit, before shuddering. How horrible would it to be married forever to Ruff. Sure, she's a good friend I would say. But she is not wife material at all. Or maybe instead of marrying within the village, I would have to be married to some other girl from another clan, in order to strengthen the treaty we have with each other.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
"Hey babe! You in there?!" I heard my better half yell out.
"I'm here!"
I heard my door creak open. I blocked my eyes from the sudden burst of sunshine. When I looked back, I saw Astrid walking into my hut, with an aura around her. She truly is a beautiful Valkyrie sent down to Midgard.
"There you are, I've been looking for you. You're usually already out of bed by this time, why aren't you?"
"Huh, really? What time is it?" I asked.
"It's a little after breakfast time. Everyone else but you ate already." She told me, as she preceded to lay down beside me. Astrid, then turned her head and looked directly into my eyes and asked, "You still didn't answer my question, so why are you still in bed?"
I turned away from her, not wanting to give her the answer to her question. I suddenly felt a hand grasp my jaw and I was again facing the strong Valkyrie. My eyes started looking around my room, searching for a way to avoid telling her what happened.
"Well? You're not going to escape from this." She firmly stated.
Of course she was still staring at me, awaiting for my answer. One last resort to breakout, hopefully it works.
"Astrid! You know I love you so much righhtttt?" I said persuadingly. Silently sending out a prayer to the gods to help me out here and from the look on her face, it's not being answered.
*sighs*
"Thank you. For everything okay?" I told her timidly. Her face turned from worry to confusion in an instant. "Seriously, I mean it. Thank you for everything."
"I don't get it babe. Where is this coming from?" She said very confused still.
I turned my head away from her. "It's just… I had a nightmare last night. And before you say anything else, I know we're too old to have them. But it happened and it really hit close to my heart all right?" I told her, still facing away from her to hide the tears threatening to come out.
She placed her hand on my shoulder. "It's okay babe. It was just a dream all right? It's not real. There's nothing to be embarrassed of, it happens to everyone, no matter how old they are." She said comfortingly.
I turn back to face her again. There she goes again. She always has a way to bring me back to the ground, no matter how high I am; I really don't deserve her.
"So what happened in your dream to cause you to be so shaken up?"
"It was when Viggo had you hostage at the volcano. Except you and Viggo were closer to the edge of it. When I threw the dragon eye over the edge, the both of you fell. You managed to grab onto the edge and I was helping you up, but our hands slipped and you fell in." I finished off as I was wiping away the tears that were running my face.
"Oh baby, I'm still here. Nothing bad happened to me, okay?" She exclaimed.
"And when I woke up, I realised just how grateful I am to have you in my life, Astrid." I told her as I was caressing her face. "Literally everything that happened since I met Toothless was because of you. Astrid, you mean the whole entire world to me; and I would give up my life if it meant that you could live." I poured out to her. "So yeah, that's what I meant when I thanked you."
"But Hiccup that was all you. I didn't do any-"
"No Astrid! If I didn't have you by my side, I probably wouldn't have been able to accomplish half the things I've done so far!" I proclaimed.
She didn't look too convinced. "I'm not too sure about that, Hiccup."
"Well I am, okay? Like remember when my dad took all the warriors and Toothless to go find the queen and I was disowned too?" She nodded. "All felt lost, I was just frozen, and staring the horizon in the direction they had left. Then you came by my side and encouraged me to go and try to save them all from the horror of what was the dragon queen. That was because of you." I tried to reassure her.
"All you needed was a push in the right direction babe. Everything else that happened on that day was all you." She countered.
"Okay fine, sure. Let's say that it was. But still, the fact that I knew you had my back gave me the courage to fight that dragon head on."
"Of course babe. I will always have your back." She responded.
"I know, and that's why I'm so thankful to have you. Like seriously Astrid. Without you in my life, I'm lost. I wouldn't know who I would be. You're my motivation to be innovative and to keep going forward without looking back. My number one supporter and the one who I can confide in everything. You're the reason why I smile and laugh, my best friend, team mate, second in command. I sincerely can't start my day without thanking the Gods for blessing me the opportunity to have you." I earnestly told her as I admired her.
Just telling her how much I appreciate her isn't enough. I just had so much love for her building up in my chest... I couldn't hold it in anymore.
I cupped her chin and started to kiss her.
"Thank you *kiss* Thank you *kiss* Thank you, for everything milady." I told her as we pulled apart.
As we took a minute to regain our breath, I glanced over to her. She had dilated eyes, paired with rosy red cheeks. She also had her hair up in an intricate braid and in a tight blue shirt with her signature shoulder guards and red spiked skirt. "Gods! You're beautiful" I said in my head.
"Thanks babe, you're not too bad looking yourself." She responded.
"Huh? What?" I said confusingly. "Did I just say that out loud?"
"Yupp! You sure did, you goof!" She laughed out as she punched my arm.
"Come here you!" I pulled her in for another kiss. Our lips came closer and closer to each other and right before we kissed.
*Grumble* *Grumble*
"Let's go get you some food before your stomach implodes!" She said as she placed a kiss on my forehead.
There she goes again, being so amazing. Oh what would I ever do if she was gone.