Review responses:
Lyssah: Stoick has much more power than Valka. Hiccup visited Astrid because he simply liked her company. Your last question will be answered in later chapters (:
Me: I wish I could update faster! But I can't update faster than I write, sorry!
Maya: I don't understand why you're so angry about Hiccup having flaws. He's not a perfect character. He had strong emotions when Astrid hit a soft spot with him. Him having flaws doesn't make him a jerk and bitch.
Screams erupted from the crowd of girls. Bucket and Mulch dropped their microphones and waved at the cameras to cut off. Maids and cooks huddled behind the guards, who were standing there nervously because they were outnumbered.
Girls were crying and squealing. They hiked up their dresses and crawled under the risers to hide from the dragons that had just barged in. Some girls didn't shrivel under the fact that there were intruders, though. Anya stayed by my side. I saw Tiana standing, with Heather near her.
"We have to fight back!" I yelled at them. I directed my words toward the girls hiding, too. "We have no chance if we don't help the guards! Toughen up and fight!"
I ran down the risers and grabbed one of the dropped microphones that went over our heads. I took the microphone off, leaving me with only the metal bar. It almost brought a smile to my face, thinking of my last battle with the curtain rod. Anya was close behind me, taking off her shoes and using her sharp heels to hit people.
The majority of the girls stayed behind, underneath the stands. I persuaded some to come out, though, like Anna, who snatched a guitar from the music portion of the studio. But the girls who stayed behind angered me. There were still dragons streaming in, their numbers growing by the second. If backup wasn't coming soon, we would be done for.
It was a tough battle. It was knives, bats, and clubs against heels, instruments, and rods. The guards weren't able to use their guns, in fear of hitting one of the girls that were woven into the mess of people.
I kicked off my shoes, the sparkly heels too hard for me to walk in. I stuck out my rod and spun around, knocking all the dragons near me to the ground. I was grabbed by my hair, tripped, elbowed, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to let anyone get to me. I refused to accept defeat.
One enemy came up behind me and grabbed my weapon and twisted it out of my grasp. It hurt my wrist to be wrung that way, but I got over it and punched my attacker square in the jaw. He swung the microphone rod around and smacked it right into my forehead, knocking me down and making me dizzy.
I couldn't get off of the ground. Pain seared through my head, my brain wasn't functioning. When dragons started to surround me, I could hardly focus. I couldn't fight back, I was too dazed to do anything but lay there and watch as my doom towered over me. One thing I did notice, though, was their eyes. I wasn't sure if it was the fuzziness in my eyes that impaired my vision, but they did not look totally human. Unnatural colors sent shivers down my spine. What were these things?
A loud slam caught the attention of the attackers surrounding me, and out of the corner of my vision, I saw a huge shape knocking down several dragons. I laid there until I wasn't surrounded anymore, before sitting up and rubbing my eyes.
It was King Stoick, followed by Eret, that was taking out large portions of the intruders and sending them flying across the room. The ones that weren't laying on the ground, unconscious or even dead, were huddled in a circle that was surrounded by guards and looked down upon by the king himself.
"You filthy scum, stay out of my castle!" roared Stoick. I tried to stand, to see what was happening. When I reached my full height, I immediately wanted to sit back down. Between Stoick's red face, the frightened eyes of the intruders that were huddled in a circle, and the heat of all the bodies, everything was just overwhelming.
I started sweating and swaying, having blurry vision which made it hard to keep standing. All I could hear were the start of screams and cries of dragons as they were beaten terribly. I had only listened for a few seconds before I fell, smacking my head onto the floor and turning my vision black.
Hearing beeps and quiet shuffles, I slowly blinked open my eyes to gather my surroundings. White walls. Loud machines. People in light scrubs. I sat up, the papery gown covering my body feeling uncomfortable on my skin. I hated hospitals, I didn't want to be in one. All I had was a concussion, I didn't need an extensive hospital stay.
The doctor pushed me back onto the bed, though. She was an old, short woman with thick, light grey braids. She didn't talk to me, but rather gestured several times with her hands and her walking stick. I was confused. What was she trying to tell me?
She patted the sheets next to my right hand, making me notice a cast holding my hand in place. My eyes widened. I hadn't even realized the cast that was there!
"How did this happen?" I asked. I didn't remember injuring my hand. Sharp pains shot through my veins as I twisted my wrist some. The old lady, whom I assumed was my doctor, shook her head and rolled her eyes as she put my arm down on the bed. She slammed her stick on the ground, and a man hobbled over.
I could tell he was bald. I couldn't see the top of his head because of the helmet he was wearing, but no man's head is that shiny when he has hair. He did have a thick, blond mustache, though, that was braided intricately and fell as far as his chest. His underbite made me cringe, his teeth were so messed up. But his friendly eyes were the only thing that kept me from shriveling away from this giant of a man.
"Lady Astrid, is it?" asked the man, who I saw was limping on a prosthetic leg. "Gobber. Blacksmith, advisor, mechanic, assistant doctor, translator, warrior, yeh name it, I'm it."
He stuck out a meaty hand in greeting. I looked at it before shaking it hesitantly. "Yes, I'm Astrid."
Gobber pulled a nearby stool over to the side of my bed and sat down in it. "When yeh passed out, there was another small fight by the rebels in the circle. Shufflin around caused yer hand to be stepped on."
That made me shudder. First of all, there was another tussle that broke out and I wasn't there to help, and the fact that someone stepped on my hand so hard that the bones were crushed underneath their foot. I was glad I was unconscious and that I didn't feel anything. That was a type of pain I was glad to not go through.
Gobber and the woman, named Gothi, said I was free to go back to my room in the evening. I had been asleep for a couple of days, and my concussion was settling down enough for me to get out of the room. I lay in the itchy covers for hours, picking at my nails and flipping through pages of the magazine that was on the small table next to my bed.
After I ate the lunch that was brought to me, I heard Gobber talking loudly to another person. He sounded very happy and excited, I almost got up to see who he was talking to. But when they responded, I immediately halted those thoughts.
It was Hiccup's voice, one that I hadn't heard in a few days. He sounded normal. Which I still couldn't understand. If I were in his place and was being hurt constantly, I would have to fight back, or at least tell someone about it. I was wondering if Gobber knew more on this when the voices got closer. I quickly laid down on my pillow and brought the blanket up to my chin, acting as if I were asleep.
The uneven sounds of Gobber's footsteps kept walking, but the other's, Hiccup's, stopped. I heard him clear his throat, sort of awkwardly. "Who's that?"
Of course he knew who I was. He just wanted to clarify what had happened to me, and why I was in the medic's wing of the castle. It ached somewhat, he was obviously showing that he still cared a little about me to ask what was wrong. But there was still the weight of the derogative comments he made about me resting on my chest.
"Lady Astrid," Gobber called from the end of the room. "Broken hand and concussion from the fight the other night with the hybrids."
I coughed, drawing some attention in my direction, but I kept pretending I was asleep. Hybrids? What in the name of Thor were they talking about?
"I need to talk to Snotlout soon. As the head of the guards, he and Fishlegs need to come up with ways to keep them out," Gobber said.
"They'll always find a way in," Hiccup said. "They always do."
Squinting, so I looked like I was still asleep, I looked at him. He looked as regular as ever, with his messy hair and untidy suit. I had missed hanging out with him.
"With their demonic powers," Gobber muttered. I saw Hiccup grow slightly irritated at this, with a heavy sigh and a roll of the eyes.
"You know, Gobber, they only have enhanced senses," the young prince said, leaning against one of the beds. "It's not like they can actually turn into dragons. They can't breathe fire or anything."
"They come from the devils. It's all the same."
Hiccup rolled his eyes again. I saw him glance at me, but I could tell he didn't know I was awake. I expected him to look at me in annoyance, disgust, anger, or some other negative emotion, for how I spoke to him that night a few days ago. But he didn't look at me negatively. It was almost a longing look. The way his demeanor calmed when he looked at me made my heart soar, thinking he still wanted my friendship.
But I listened to my brain instead of my heart in this. I wanted to get up and apologize. I wanted him to apologize to me. But I restrained myself. They were talking about an important issue, one that made no sense to me. It felt like I was back in the beginning of the Selection, when everything didn't feel real.
The more they talked about these "hybrids", the more confused I was. People that had enhanced senses? Why did they want to fight the people in the castle so much? What was going on with them? How did they get their powers?
My mind raced with questions I wanted so badly to ask Gobber and Hiccup. But I stayed in the bed, acting as if I were a big doll, lifeless and motionless in the bed.
"Go back to yer room and stay there, boy," the big man said. "Yeh know yer still grounded."
Soon, Hiccup was gone. Gobber muttered curses about the hybrids while hobbling to the office. It was a lot of information to take in at once, humans with some powers storming the castle. Plus, seeing Hiccup again. I just knew, deep down, that he didn't dislike me.
But to clear my head, I rested and actually fell asleep for a few hours.
When I woke, Gothi gave me permission to leave. I got out of the hospital wing as fast as I could. I wanted to do something other than lay around for hours.
Remembering Hiccup in his room, I pondered while standing in the hallway. I knew he should not be alone, and he probably was. I needed his friendship, and he needed mine. I was going to go to his room to talk to him, and that was final.
Retracing my steps, thinking to when Hiccup took me to the royal quarters, I ended up in the main hallway and started walking toward their living section. I looked around, hoping no one would see me go in. I didn't want to be caught snooping around the king's things.
I was about to enter those doors when a voice stopped me from behind and turned my blood as cold as ice.
"Lady Astrid?" Eret said curiously. I turned around, smiled at him, and curtsied. I realized I was still in my hospital gown, and I felt very exposed in it. The thin paper dress suddenly was very cold and itchy. But Eret's face looked normal, not upset that I wasn't in a sparkling outfit with a pound of makeup on my face. "Just the girl I'm looking for!"
"Really?" I blurted, very confused.
"Of course!" Eret laughed. He slung his arm around me, and I shuddered. I tried to shake his strong arm off of my shoulders, but it didn't budge. I tried to control my anger. I tried not to have an outburst. But the pounding ache in my head grew by the second, and the sweat from the prince's arm dripped slowly down my neck and disgusted me to no end.
"I wanted to ask you out on a date, a dessert date, if you will," Eret asked, holding out his hand for me to take.
I chuckled lightly, trying to hide confusion, surprise, and resent toward the offer the prince had just proposed. But I knew I had no choice but to accept. If I were not to accept his date offer, it could be the end of me at this castle.
"Um, okay, but I haven't eaten my evening meal yet," I said, searching for any excuse to get out of this dumb date. The last thing I wanted was to be alone with Eret.
"Nonsense! I will notify the bakers immediately to prepare dishes for us. In the meantime, I can listen to your music! Piano, right?" Eret kept going on about this date. All I wanted was to go see Hiccup.
Eret pulled a maid aside and told her to send his message to the kitchens. She hurried along, in an attempt to get there as fast as she could. The prince turned back to me, his tattooed face bearing a big smile. I wasn't even able to say that I didn't play piano, nor was I good at music in general either.
"Shall we, dear?" he held out a hand.
I smiled a big, fake smile, as much as I could muster. "I am not your dear." I silently cursed myself. I had to remember my plan. I had to fake it till I made it. I had to act like I was a perfect princess, and then I would let all hell break lose on this castle. "But yes, we shall."
Saying this made me internally cringe. I didn't think I had ever used the word "shall" before. I just shuddered as I had to place my hand in his big, sweaty hands, and his fingers enclosed around mine, trapping them. He lead me to the royal lounge, where I had played with Queen Valka previously. There was still a warm feeling to it, but nowhere as close without the queen, and with this burly prince replacing her.
He pulled out the piano bench and gestured for me to sit in it, while I awkwardly stood. Remembering to where Valka had kept the flute, I walked over to the cabinet and opened it, and found the flute after a few seconds. I took it over to him.
"I actually don't play piano, I only know a little bit of flute," I said. Eret pushed in the piano bench and plopped himself on one of the luxurious sofas, in which had red velvet cushions and gold trims. He waved his hand at me, rather rudely, suggesting me to start playing.
I brought the flute up beneath my mouth and played a scale to start out with. The notes were shaky, mostly wrong, and uneven in sound, but the prince didn't seem to care. He was simply lazy and wanted quick and easy entertainment whenever it was offered.
I played the old nursery song "Mary Had A Little Lamb", and Eret smiled. I believed Valka was the kind of mother who brought the songs and traits of a regular citizen to the castle, so the princes weren't just raised by the maids in the castle. So they weren't only surrounded by money, food, and all-around luxury.
I started to play the song I had with Valka, slowly at first, still getting the feel for this expensive-feeling instrument. I increased the speed as I felt more comfortable. I tried to imagine being next to the queen, and with her playing piano, instead of me just playing with nothing but a terrible prince sitting in front of me. It was hard to do without the accompaniment, but I still got more comfortable with my music.
My notes started to waver, and I consistently kept pressing the wrong keys. I let all my breath out in annoyance and set the instrument down as the song was too ruined to keep on playing. Eret still clapped lightly, his awkward green-colored eyes showing pleasure.
"My dear Astrid, that was truly a work of art," he said, standing. He walked closer to me, and took the flute out of my hands and setting it down on a dark wood table next to the sofa. "A beautiful piece of music," he continued. When he got even closer, I had to admit, him towering over me in the way he did make me a tad bit nervous. "Almost as beautiful as you."
I was going to laugh, or retort to his words, because I assumed he was lying and that he had said that to every girl that crossed his path. But before I knew it, he was pressing his mouth- bad breath and all- on mine. The shock factor of the situation I was in had me paralyzed for a few seconds, which I regretted greatly because it meant Eret was kissing me longer.
When I regained movement in my limbs, I pushed away from him, wiping my mouth with my arm. I wanted to slap him so badly, smack that smug look right off of his face. He wouldn't let my hands go, though, even though I tried to tug away from him.
"What?" my voice and another said at the same time. I saw Eret's eyes narrow at the doorway, and I whipped around to see who just saw Eret kiss me.
It was possibly the last person I would ever want to see me alone with him. It was Hiccup.
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