VI
I don't know when exactly did I fell asleep but I woke up to the sound of Hiccup's voice reciting some weird poem
- Twas brilling, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe
All mimsy were the borogoves
And the mome raths outgrabe
The Red Queen, with breath of flame
Jaws that bite and claws that catch!
Beware the Red Queen, my love!
And the frumious Bandersnatch!
He took his Fire sword in hand
With his loyal cat aside
The Fire blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back
- What?! – I asked sliding on to his shoulder
- It's about you, you know?
- What are you talking about? What's all that fuss with the Red queen? Who's the King everyone talks about?
- You know – he stopped walking
- What? How could I know? Tell me… Talk to me Hiccup – I begged him with a hand on his jaw
- It's not a petty story…
- You know you can tell me anything – he stares into the horizon as he keeps walking and starts talking
- There was a big party at the time. The Bog-Burglars clan was here to celebrate the long lasting peace with the Hairy Hooligans. Everyone, adults and children, was singing and dancing. The mood is festive. The Vast King sits on his throne with his Queen beside him and the other members of the court, including the White Rabbit, MeatLug and Toothless. The woods turned dark as enormous leathery red wings block out the sun. Faces fill with awe as they watch the fearsome creature. The King with his sword in hand runs towards the beast. Panic ensues. People run as the Red Queen shoots fire at them. The White Rabbits gatherers the children helping them escape, I grabbed the Queen getting her to safety, when I looked back I saw MeatLug look up, froze in shock. Toothless behind the King along with the knights as they stand together against the enemy soldiers. But, as the Red Queen descends upon them, the Cat disappears leaving the kings back clear for Red Queen to burn him to the ground leaving only his Fire Sword. That's when Eret came and pick it up from the ground lifting it victoriously and the Red Queen retreats.
I could see his tormented face. He had that look in his face, the same one he had when his father died. He's at the edge of madness, blinded by guilt, helpless…
- Hiccup? Hiccup! – he jerks his head pulling himself back from the abyss
- I'm fine… just fine….
- Are you? – I asked, he quickly looks back
- Did you hear that?
- Hear what? – We hear a dog howling
- Red Knights! – he put me into his pocket and started running. He ran through the woods past the trees and over stumps. As we got to the edge of the woods a red flash covers the sky. He let me out of his pocket and back to his hat
- They are here! Go south to Grampas Bluffs. The Queen's castle is just beyond. Hold on tight. – he throws the hat, sending me flying over the treetops – DOWN WITH THE BLOODY CRAZY KING!
The Hat lands in the soft grass. I look back at the forest, and then south towards the rolling hills. It's getting dark and there're strange sounds here. I slip under the relative safety of the hat and try to sleep. I woke up to the hat being lift, exposing me and that's when I saw those big green eyes looking straight at me
- Toothless? Toothless thank Thor!
- Hello Astrid
- They took Hiccup! Where did they took him?
- To the King's castle at Salazun Grum
- We have to save him!
- That is not wise of you
- I don't care! He wouldn't be there if it weren't for me so we're going!
- The Thorsday is almost upon up. You must go to the Queen
- That's enough! Since the moment I fell down that hole, I've been told what I must do! I've been shrunk, stretched and stuffed into a teapot. I've been accused of being Astrid and not being Astrid. But you're forgetting one thing NO ONE TELLS ASTRID HOFFERSON what I must or must not do!
- If you diverge the path…
- I MAKE MY OWN PATH! - I climbed on to his back and sat on his neck – take me to Salazen Grum and do not forget the Hat – "hold on Hiccup I'm coming"