Song: "Lonesome Dream" by Lord Huron
000
Return (Present day – Hiccup and Astrid age 19)
"It's like something out of a fairy tale or romance novel. I'm sure after where you've been it doesn't even seem like it could be real anymore" Throck said, handing Astrid her duffle bag from the trunk.
Astrid surveyed the landscape admiring the layers of mountains that faded from green to blue progressing into the infinite horizon stretched under cirrus clouds splayed like angel wings. At the edge of the forest early summer wild flowers intertwined with tendrils of field grass hiding the tiny worlds of insects and forest creatures.
She inhaled the green fragrance of the woods and the brown dust of the distant stables. "You don't need to worry, detective. I'll be safe here."
"I'm sorry we weren't able to offer you better protection, our department doesn't have the time and resources to protect a witness in a low-level crime."
'Low-level' Astrid thought, the crime that upset what was left of her unfortunate life hardly meant anything to anyone. Not even enough to protect her, the key witness to putting away one of the vilest people she ever met.
"I'll be fine. I spent summers here when I was younger, and I never felt anything but safe and happy."
The man stood soldier-like before her, "Since the judge denied his bail, he will stay lock up, you have nothing to worry about. But just in case, I've made sure no one from Edgetown knows your whereabouts."
"An old family friend helped me get this job and my boyfriend works nearby, but they are the only ones who know where I am."
"That's good." Throk continued to stand looking around, maybe admiring the view, maybe wanting to say more.
Astrid just wanted to move forward. She planned to make it through this summer, reroute her life's path, and finish August by testifying at the trial, thus putting that horrible man away. Then she would move somewhere far away and start over. Maybe disappearing for real. If she ever saw that lawyer again, she might pick his brain about changing her name.
The thought of coming back to a place from her past was hard, but this was one of the few places where she had pleasant memories she could revisit. She might as well spend her last summer before moving on here.
Feeling she had nothing else to say to the man she said her goodbye to Detective Throk and walked away.
000
On the way to her cabin Astrid passed the stable. There she paused to watch someone back a night-black stallion from a trailer.
Upon exit, he pranced around his handler, revealing a hesitant fear of fresh surroundings. The tall lanky boy grasped the horse's leather halter, pulling its head closer, then whispered soothing words into his ears, until he succumbed to his master's calm.
Behind them, the sky had opened her golden morning sun, which peeked through mountain breaks, silhouetting the figures and shimmering the toned muscles of the elegant steed.
Outside of the trees' shade, the mid-morning air felt as hot as a forge. Astrid began to turn away, hoisting her duffle bags further up her shoulder. The thin straps cut into her muscles, making her wish she had a horse to carry her stuff to the counselor's cabin.
"Astrid Hofferson!" A voice called, prompting her to turn from her path.
The boy started leading the horse her way.
She lifted her sunglasses seeing him with naked eyes, "Hiccup? Hiccup Haddock? Oh wow, it's been - you look- taller. Different. Good different – four years different."
The horse moved forward to sniff her head, his moist breath lightly tossing her loose hairs.
Astrid held her hand out, and once he recognized her she put the other hand on his smooth cheek. "Toothless, it's been too long."
"He remembers you," Hiccup told her.
"He's still huge –I forgot how they become so big when you stand next to them, even if some of us have grown – what? A foot and a half?"
Hiccup laughed. "I hit a growth spurt, still haven't caught up to my dad yet, so I'm hoping for a few more inches up and maybe a few out – in the chest, not the gut."
"So, what are you doing here?" Astrid punched his arm "Last I heard you were headed toward the Olympics or some other big horsey jumpy thingy thing you did?"
"Equestrian events. But 'horsey jumpy thing you did' sounds better. I will work on getting that changed." He rubbed his arm, but smiled, like he masochistically enjoyed the hit. "I'm here as the head counselor for the Equestrian Program. And, well, even though I'm only nineteen, Gobber wants me to help him run all this." Hiccup gestured to the entire area around them. "How about you?"
"Gobber reached out to me a few months ago to catch up and mentioned he needed someone to run the Martial Arts Program."
"Impressive, so if any of these kid's try's anything- "
"I got your back." She said with a laugh. It had been a long time since she'd seen him, he'd replace his scrawniness with lean muscles and his jaw had squared out. From a distance, she though he was still a boy, but now that he stood next to this tall horse, she realized, he had become a man, self-assured, relaxed, not the nervous kid she crushed on for years - till it ended the night after they made out four summers ago. Wow, what was he thinking about her right now?
His smooth lips held their lopsided smile, "Do you still ride?"
How to answer that question, without letting him know the painful reason she only spent summers at Camp Berk riding.
"I wanted to keep with it – I really did, but I have so many other activities and horses are a full-time commitment." True statement.
"Shame. You were good. Picked it up right away – a natural. And you and Stormfly really clicked."
"How is my girl? Gods, I miss her."
"She's great. Excited for anther fun summer. Would you like to ride her today?"
Astrid readjusted her bag and broke eye contact, "It's been so long…I'm not sure if I remember."
Hiccup stepped closer, he looked different, but she recognized him when she looked up in those calm, evergreen eyes, "You can take her out with Toothless and I later for a trail ride - I'm a good instructor and with your inherent talent you'll be show ready in no time."
"Hmm… a ride in the woods alone with a sketchy guy I haven't seen in a couple of years with a deadly animal…What could go wrong?" She teased.
"I'm not sketchy." He laughed. "And Stormfly is the most docile mare we've got. Besides, I'm not trying to get you alone and in the woods to go all slasher film - the chief wanted me to do a quick survey of some of the camp property. I figured, if you went with me, we could catch up and maybe you could help me mend some fences."
"Still calling your dad, the chief?"
"We're Norwegians descended from Vikings, so it's not culturally insensitive."
"Doesn't make it less strange."
"You're probably right." He leaned against Toothless, "So when do you want to go for that ride? I can help you put your stuff away then get the horses ready."
"I don't think I agreed to that ride, not because I'm scared, but because I want to settle in and I have to get some work done, for college."
"College work over the summer? Where do you go?"
Astrid shifted her weight around, "I took some time off and haven't really decided yet. I have options, but…"
"You're lucky you have time off. I wanted to take more time to think about it, but rushed into deciding on Berk Tech. Toothless and I made the riding team, and its ivy league - the chief still imagines I'll take over the family businesses someday, so he demanded I go somewhere known for its business and engineering programs."
"Yeah, sounds hard," She mumbled.
The way he said, 'ivy league' and taking over the business - like that's where people went and what they were supposed to do - reminded Astrid of how she had to pretend to fit in years ago. That Hiccup Haddock and almost everyone else at Camp Berk was in a league above her, maybe Hiccup was a nerd years ago, but his rich equestrian world and elite schools were always going to be beyond her. Although Hiccup was probably the most down to earth guy she had ever met - never commenting on her non-designer clothes and brushing it off when someone mentioned she went to public school. But still, she suspected he and the rest of the counselors worked there during their summers to pad resumes, while she had to be there - she had nowhere else to stay and desperately needed money.
"Hiccup Haddock!" A sweet voice rang out. A slender brunet in grey breeches and freshly shined boots walked toward hiccup, embraced him, and gently kissed his check.
Without releasing him from her hold, she continued to talk, "I was so disappointed you weren't at the national competition. Without you I had no one fun to talk to. Then I heard you were finally coming back here for the summer and I wondered, 'why wouldn't he be training for the international show in D.C.?'"
"Toothless, had a bit of an accident. He'll be OK, but he needs the summer off, and honestly, I sort of do as well…"
The girl let go and focused her attention on Toothless, scratching behind his ears and kissing pouty lips to his broad cheeks.
"Heather, this is Astrid, she is assisting with martial arts and self-defense."
Heather held out her hand, "Are you Astrid Hofferson?"
"Yes, has Hiccup mentioned me?"
"Hiccup? Not recently." She pinched his chin, "This one never kisses and tells."
Astrid took a step back, "Oh we're not- "
"I'm Dagger's half-sister 'horrible' Heather. He told me about you two." she held out her hand.
"Yes! He told me you'd be here, but didn't give details."
Hiccup interjected, "Astrid you became friends with Dagur? He tried to drown Fishlegs and me. More than once."
"Sort of dating…" Astrid looked down, and hoped Dagur kept their promise to not mention how they met and the complicated life she lived these past four years. When she found out his sister would be another counselor at Camp Berk, she almost made him take a blood oath that he would protect her secret shame of not belonging with these people.
Hiccup scratched the back of his neck, "I see, wow – Dagur 'the Deranged' dating someone. Dating Astrid. I guess you must have a masochistic side I didn't know about."
Astrid laughed, "Why would you say that? I mean he's cute, he knows kung fu-"
Hiccup rolled his eyes, "He's crazy, he has a short temper, he's a jerk."
"He has a sweet side, once you get to know him," Astrid defended him. Sure, they were casually together, but she should at least stick up for him and justify their relationship.
"Yeah, when he's sleeping." Heather nudged Hiccup. "But, he's still my half-brother and even if we don't have anything in common and never spend time together, I still love him, so if you guys are happy – I'm happy for you."
Astrid refrained from repeating the things Dagur said about his sister – she was stuck up, fake, and only cared about popularity. Four years ago, Hiccup was none of those thing, and he seemed tight with the girl, so maybe, she should give her a chance.
"How did you end up here? You never stayed here with your brother if I recall." Astrid asked.
"Half-brother. We only share a mom, who he was estranged from. I'm here because I know someone on the inside." She leaned next to Hiccup against Toothless. "My mom enrolled Dagur here back then because she didn't trust his dad to watch him during the summers and she couldn't handle him. I'm giving up competitive riding, but still love being with the horses, so Hiccup convinced me to come here. I thought I'd spend this last summer with them in a fun environment. How did you end up here? Did you not want to find a job in Edgetown? Dagur is working locally – did you follow your boyfriend?"
"It's not that serious. I wouldn't say boyfriend," her eyes caught Hiccups for a second as he hung on each word, "I came to Camp Berk as a girl and have good memories. And it's a job." The 'it's a job' sounded desperate. She quickly added, "The biggest reason is my dad was good friends with Gobber, who runs the camp. They went way back. And he invited me."
"So, you're a family friend, like me."
"Only to Hiccup – I've only heard stories about 'The Chief' and met Mrs. Haddock a few times," before anyone had a moment to pry more, Astrid changed the subject, "I need to settle in. How about you Heather?"
"I got my girl Windshear all set in her stall, so I might as well go to the cabin and get the best bunk I can. By the way, if you make it through the stables, she's the stunning gray Andalusian."
The girls left Hiccup to get Toothless settled and do stable chores.
Heather gathered her Louis Viton luggage and walked next to Astrid. Astrid resisted the urge to comment on how much the bags must have cost and self-consciously tucked her old duffle bag behind her back.
"Are you and Hiccup and item?" Astrid asked.
Heather giggled and shook her head, "He's great and all. I mean if there was chemistry there, I'd be sooo lucky. He's really just the best, but I've actually had an eye on a friend of his," Heather put one friendly hand on Astrid's shoulder and her other on her heart, "Oh, Astrid, this guy I'm into - so cute, so smart, but soooo clueless."
"Gossip on my first day – spill it!"
"He is also a counselor here this summer, another small factor in why I decided to come. He's running the science and nature program. He and Hiccup go waaaay back. He's a rising sophomore at University of State where he showed me around one weekend. He's the one who convinced me to go there. I mean, I'm not some heart sick gal who goes to a school for a guy, but I'm a closet math geek, so it made sense, since they are known for their math and physics programs. Numbers and horses are my true passions."
Heather pushed her oversized Dior sunglasses down from her head to her eyes to block out the sun's glare, "But enough about me and my boring crush and hobbies, the real gossip is you. I mean you're dating my half-brother. Not an easy task. So now you spill it, how did you meet?"
Astrid rubbed her arm, this was the problem about coming back to your past and returning to the same circles - people wanted to know where you'd been.
She recited the story she and Dagur rehearsed, the one they would tell family and friends, the one people would like to hear, "We both taught self-defense classes at the local community center back home. We just talked and clicked, and it hasn't been that long and it's really nothing - actually, I don't know where it will go. Sometimes these things only last for a season. I plan on moving out west and starting over once I'm done here."
The story of how they got together was a "true enough story" and if Heather had follow up questions, she kept them to herself as they approached the log cabin nestled in the woods between a hemlock grove.
The old screen door screeched like a parrot as Astrid opened it. Inside it smelled like summer dust and pine cleaner.
"Looks like we're the first here. I'm getting a top bunk," Heather said while rolling her bag up and down the aisles between beds the to find the perfect spot.
"Top bunk? Bottom bunk is better, if there is an emergency you can get out faster."
Heather snorted, "Oh, Astrid, you are soooo funny. What sort of 'emergency' would we have, Warrior Princess?"
"Warrior princess?"
"I didn't mean to offend - your pretty and look Scandinavian - like our friend Hiccup - but with your battle tactics and self-defense teaching, you're like some Viking warrior princess."
On paper Astrid would have wanted to punch Heather – a pretty, flirty girl with good grades, and a rich daddy paying for her place in a top university, but she didn't come across as thoughtlessly pretentious. Being smart, pretty, and rich were just things she was. The waaaaaay she over-emphasized letters was a bit much, but Astrid couldn't hold that endearing quirk against her. And she supposed hearing about Heather's glamourious life all summer would make her forget her own problems.
"Tell you what, Geekquestrian - yep I can give nicknames too. Why don't you take that top bunk over there by the wall and I'll get the bottom one? Being there will give us extra wall space for pictures and we'll be out of the heat of the sun."
"I agree. And, let me tell you, I'm soooo glade we're not Jr. Counselors. I know a girl who worked as a junior last year and had to sleep in the cabin with campers. Those girls say up ALLLLLL night. Who can talk that much?" Heather said.
Astrid smiled at her and decided that despite what she had heard, she and Heather should be friends.
000
A/N: Thanks to all those who Faved, Followed, and Reviewed.
Before you leave a hate review about Astrid and Dagur, please note that he took her letter years ago - the guy clearly has issues with taking what isn't his and is dishonest. As for Astrid, it will be revealed as to why she had to move on from Hiccup. It's a long story, not an info dump.