Astrid simply went numb. After the events of the last 12 hours she gladly welcomed it. Hiccup was alive. Alive. "I thought you were dead," she said softly.
Hiccup looked down at her, his expression unreadable, "Sorry to disappoint."
Astrid wasn't disappointed. Memories came flooding back. Memories that she had spent the last five years suppressing. And seeing his face brought them all back in a rush. Memories of a little girl in pigtails having been pushed in mud and jeered at when her uncle died, and kind green eyes helping her up. Pass a few years and the pigtails were replaced with a single braid, and clothes were were too small and practically falling apart, and precious cloth had been smuggled to her, with hopeful green eyes. A few days later he had been punished for giving her that cloth. And it had been that which had solidified her desire to be the best. To earn some sort of honor for herself. Enough so that she stood a fighting chance of surviving. She knew those green eyes followed her over the years. And when she had been old enough to start dragon training she had been eager to have the honor of killing the Monstrous Nightmare. Nothing. Not even those eyes, would get between her and that small bit of honor.
But it hadn't happened. Suddenly, seemingly overnight Hiccup had gone from being the village nuisance to being the dragon whisperer. And there was nothing she could do as she watched her chances "dwindling into the single digits" as Fishlegs once said. She trained every moment that Gothi wasn't teaching her or she wasn't doing some undesirable task given to those that had little to no honor in the village. And every day she had to watch as she became second best. Never good enough. The night before the decision was to be made on who would have the honor of killing the Nightmare, Gothi had read the runes. Astrid couldn't read them, but she had no hope by that point. She had gone to bed in tears.
Astrid had fought as hard as she could the next day, but she knew Gothi had made her choice. Gothi knew how important this was to her. And she had chosen him. When Astrid had seen the old woman outside of the arena and had demanded to know why. The old woman replied in riddles, "The Norns have told me about your destiny and his. They are both entwined. I can tell you no more than that."
Astrid had gone after Hiccup, who had taken to disappearing most afternoons after dragon training. He was sneaking through the woods with a basket on his back. She followed him to a gorge where there was a Night Fury. A few months ago he had mentioned something about taking down a Night Fury. She, like everyone else, hadn't believed him. Nobody had ever taken down a Night Fury. And yet here he was. And it was attacking him! Astrid had let out a war cry and thrown her axe at the dragon. She'd heard Hiccup cry out as she had rushed toward the dragon. Her dagger drawn. Hiccup was near the Night Fury and she saw it push him down. The Night Fury blew a blast of fire at the ground in front of her and a rock hit her in the head. The next thing she knew was darkness.
When Astrid had woken up there was blood everywhere, and no sign of Hiccup or the Night Fury. Astrid had screamed and cried. Hiccup, who had shown her so many kindnesses her entire life. She owed him her life. Many times over. When she had gone to the chief he had told her that she would never have any honor in the village for failing to save his son. Gothi had used her status to keep Astrid in the village and in her home. Astrid had never understood why. Gothi would merely reply in her mysterious way, "The Norns."
Astrid had been forbidden to continue dragon training, and simple things like food and clothing were as nonexistent as her jobs around the village. And with each dragon raid the Dragon Lord...Hiccup...had prevented her from killing a dragon when she had gotten close. Her life had only gotten harder, but Gothi would not let her give up. And now here she was. An unwilling bride. A sacrifice. Unwanted. And alone.
"I'm not disappointed, Hiccup. But please, let me up. Untie me for Thors sake."
Fear threatened to choke her and Hiccup must've seen this because he relented and got up, pulling her with him. Astrid felt a small hole rip in the side of her shirt. The rip pushed back the fear long enough for her to make a note to repair the hole as soon as she was alone. He untied them and looked at the cord for a moment before pocketing it. "Come on, Toothless. Let's get that gear off of you." He spared Astrid a glance, "Welcome to my home."
Astrid didn't know what else to do so she followed him. The cave was deep and the light did not reach the back. The cave curved and narrowed and she followed him and his dragon through it. It was dark until the dragon gave a blast and lit a fire pit in the middle of the room. This cavern was larger than the first one and had several more passages that stemmed off it. Astrid stood just inside the door and crossed her arms around her ribs. One hand covering the hole on her side. She watched as Hiccup and the dragon disappeared into one of the passages. She heard him talking to the dragon, but she couldn't make out what he was saying.
She came close to the fire and sat before it. Relishing the warmth. Gothi's cottage was never freezing cold, but it was drafty. Astrid's presence pretty much pushed its repair towards the bottom of Stoick's list. Hiccup came out with Toothless and Astrid stumbled back. Looking at him wearily.
Hiccup looked at her, trying to decide what to do. She still seemed to be the half wild girl he'd always known. Her eyes still brilliant blue, her hair still the color of spun gold, her skin as pale as ever. Hiccup forced himself to look past that though, her cheeks were slightly sunken, and her tight clothing showed her ribs sticking out, something he'd felt on the flight over. He knew she had some muscle, but it was obvious that life had gotten harder since he'd left. He'd watched her warm herself at the fire before he'd walked out of the dark. He knew she was scared of him. She would play it tough in front of him, but she was like a wild animal afraid of humans. "What are you looking at!" she snapped.
"Just observing," he replied truthfully. Toothless let out a soft growl at her tone and Hiccup put a calming hand on his head. They'd be talking about this later. "Would you like something to eat? Kitchen is just this way."
Astrid followed him again into another cavern. This one was smaller and had a small pit in the middle of it like the main cavern. Trunks stood against the walls except where a natural stream burbled through and flowed into another part of the mountain. A rough stone trough of sorts stood near the entrance and it was half full of fish. Hiccup stirred up the embers of the fire pit and soon had the fire going. He dug through one of the trunks and pulled out a few pieces of dried meat and some bread and a hunk of cheese. He set these on a rough table. Astrid felt her mouth water. She and Gothi ate mostly vegetables,whatever they grew in their garden or what could be found in the woods on the island. Meat and especially cheese were rare luxuries. It was difficult for Gothi to trade for these items. And hunting was difficult with an axe.
Hiccup began eating, but quickly stopped when he saw that Astrid had not joined him. She still stood at the side of the entrance, opposite from where Toothless was eating is breakfast, and she was looking at the floor. "Astrid, you've gotta be hungry. And I have more food than I need. Help yourself." She looked at him and that half wild look was back in her eyes, "Please."
She seemed to be thinking and then she spoke, but what she said had Hiccup's blood running cold, "Give me something to do that doesn't involve giving you my body. I won't stay here without earning my keep."
She hadn't said much, but what she did say was like pouring a bucket of icy water over him. Hiccup knew that Astrid's life wasn't easy. He'd gotten into serious trouble for giving her some fabric when they were younger. That had been the beginning of his realization of Astrid's life. Hiccup hadn't understood at the time, his father had always told him that "a chief takes care of his own". Astrid was not part of the village. "Astrid, you don't have to do anything just to eat."
Wrong answer. "I won't accept your charity, Hiccup! It only leads to trouble!" She flung her arms down to her sides, the movement causing the hole to tear further and another one to form at the seam on her shoulder. Her fists were clenched. Toothless growled at her tone and Astrid looked at the dragon defiantly.
Hiccup sighed and looked down. His patience wearing thin. They weren't at the village! The rules no longer applied! He was the Dragon Lord for Thors sake! His voice was clipped as he thought quickly, "We are no longer at the village, Astrid. I will not treat you as they did. This is MY home and MY rules. Eat, get some sleep, and tomorrow we will figure things out."
He held out a hunk of cheese to her. She seemed to be contemplating his words, and slowly she walked over to him and took the cheese and started to eat it. Hiccup released the breath he didn't know he'd been holding. She sat down on the floor near the fire and Hiccup filled a tray and sitting the tray between them, he made himself comfortable. Looking shyly at the tray she reluctantly took a slice of bread and put a piece of the cheese on it and set it near the fire so the cheese would melt on it. She took a piece of the meat too and slowly ate it. When she finished it she moved to her melted cheese and bread and ate it slowly as well. Hiccup noticed that she was savoring each bite, and again it hit home how harsh life in the village had been to her.
A full belly and the warmth of the fire soon had Hiccup relaxing and feeling sleepy after their long night. Which brought another dilemma to his mind, where she would sleep. He knew Astrid would not sleep with him, even if she was his wife. There was a cavern next to his that he used for his failed projects, and it was right next to his. It would take a day to clean out and prepare, and another few days to build her a proper bed. He was pretty sure she slept on the ground in Gothi's hut as he had never seen another bed the few times he'd gone there to have some minor injuries taken care of. Hiccup shook his head, that didn't solve the problem of where she'd be sleeping tonight though. Hiccup looked around, Astrid could sleep in the kitchen until a proper bedroom was made for her. It would be warm here in the kitchen, and she could use his sleep roll that he used when he and Toothless traveled.
The thought settled he turned to Astrid, "You will sleep here for the time being until I can prepare a room for you. I'll be back with a sleeping roll."
With that he left to his room and retrieved the sleeping roll and looking around he also grabbed one of his pillows and a few blankets out of one of the trunks in his room. The nights were getting getting warmer, and while the temperature stayed pretty even in the cave, it was still cool. And Hiccup was going to treat Astrid the way she deserved to be treated. Toothless had followed Hiccup to their room made himself comfortable on his bed, looking at Hiccup tiredly, "I'll be right back, bud. Get some sleep."
He took the bedding to Astrid and handed them to her. She made up her bed, surprised at the extra blankets and pillow. He bade her goodnight after adding extra wood to the fire and Astrid snuggled down in her pallet next to the fire. Quickly warming up under the warm blankets, she fell fast asleep.
Thanks to all my reviewers. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Life and my seasonal depression have been kicking my rear. But I do appreciate all your encouragement. Thanks!
