Hey guys, guess what? CHAPTER TEN.

Another short chapter, but a sweet one. What? I had to throw in a scene like this. There hasn't been enough of them yet! Though I hope you enjoy... :)

Astrid awoke the next morning to an empty house. She smiled as she remembered the flight last night...and sprang out of bed when she remembered what today was.

She quickly threw off her night clothes, slipped into her underclothes, her shirt and pants, her shoulder braces, her heavily armored skirt, her boots, and finally wound her arms up in their braces. She did her hair up in it's usual plait and jammed her headband on.

I've got to find Hiccup...but where?

Hiccup wasn't at his house...Hiccup wasn't at the blacksmith's...Hiccup wasn't at the arena...the forest!

Astrid took off into the woods, and within five minutes her uncommon speed had brought her to the clearing. She saw Hiccup feeding Toothless about twenty yards away.

"Hiccup!" She yelled, jogging towards him. "Hiccup, thank the Gods I found you..."

"Astrid..." He turned to her, and a pang pierced her heart as she saw his forlorn look.

"Oh, Hiccup..." She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. For a minute, she felt him just standing there. Then, he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist. He was so warm, so firm...she didn't want to lose this moment.

"Astrid, I...I'm sorry."

What? He was sorry? About what?

"Hiccup, what's there to be sorry about?" She whispered in his ear.

"Everything." He pulled away and put his hands on his hips, taking a deep breath and staring at the sky. Then...

"Everything. I...I pulled you into this. I didn't want to do that, but I...it just happened! And, yesterday..."

She stood there, gaping at him with wide eyes. His ability to remember her and her situation even in his time of need startled her into a stunned silence.

"Oh, Hiccup, no..." She had never been at such a loss for words. Usually, she had a very good way with words, but seeing his face contorted in a mask of pain scattered her train of thought. "Hiccup, don't worry! Just...just focus on your match! I'm not the important part right now!"

Astrid didn't know how to comfort him. This boy...this boy is going to have to kill something? No, not him...it can't be, it's just Hiccup! Finally, all she could do was walk up to him once more, hug him tightly, and whisper "It's alright, Hiccup. Don't worry about me."

You poor boy...all of this has been thrust upon you so quickly! I wouldn't have been able to handle this, yet you...oh, you handle it so well! This isn't fair! She couldn't believe it. Her emotions ran to the brim, from the anger and forgiveness of last night, to her annoyance and ...oh, stop lying to yourself!...and love of this boy, to her fear of what would come next, for surely there was something before them that neither of them were prepared for. All this mixed into her current sleep-deprived state.

He hugged her back, softly rubbing the small of her back rhythmically. Hiccup had never been a serious boy, but this side of him startled her. Why is he doing that? She wondered at his touch.

Then she realized she was crying.

I'll get the next chaptah up tomorrah!