Chapter 19

Berk was quite not because there weren't people about everyone is at work or training but it was quiet. Somber. Sad. Hiccup stayed cooped up in Erets' home, his mind running a mile a minute. He refused to talk, just handed new plans better plans more sophisticated and complex plans so they would not be defeated. Hiccup had to be sure their main two targets get out unharmed or he'll never see his wife and Toothless will never see his mate.

Nights turned to days and Hiccup couldn't tell he hadn't showered or moved from the spot. Half eaten fruits and vegetables piled up along with the food that Eret his second hand brought him.

"Hiccup?" his eyes snap up to a face he doesn't want to see. Hiccups horamally handsome features are set in a snarl. "Get out Astrid." he demands, knowing why she's here. "Look it's been a while and there have been no signs of-" Hiccup cuts off the blonde with a yell for her to shut her damn mouth. "I will never be with you Astrid go bug Snoutlout!"

Despite his words Astrid remains unwavering demanding that he hears her. His "wife" is never coming back; he needs to make room for an heir if he plans on staying at Berk. When Hiccup see's she's still here his anger only grows, "Look Hiccup you may not like me but your choices are slim. It's either me or the twin. Chose." Astrid informs him, trying to make him see to what she believes is reason.

His wife has been gone for a few days and here she is. What doesn't she understand he will never love her, he will never touch her, he will never be with her. Ever!

Hiccup's eyes set to cold stones, "Tell Ruff her wedding dress needs to be white." He watches his words set off a bomb inside the shield maiden with a smile. "Eret!" he shouts for his right hand over Astrid temper tantrum. The large man comes running when he hears the noise from outside when he sees Astrid. He rolls his eyes in frustration this is the third time this week and Åse has only been gone for three days. Honestly he can't wait for the red head to get back and beat the fighting blonde in his arms into next year.

Eret drags the women yelling and screaming as if she's mad to the dungeons. "Take a break." he huffs and slams the cell door shut. He walks away shaking his head, not being able to fathom how she could be deluded into thinking Hiccup would ever go for her after having Åse.

"What is the matter with you?" he yells at her wanting to know why she is so obsessed with Hiccup. It doesn't take a genus to know he will never feel the same way so why not just let it go? "Why do you keep going after him, there are other men I am sure would love to be with a psycho like you!" Eret hollars at her, fuming that she's put Hiccup his friend through so much pain and now she won't even let him grieve in peace.

Astrid says nothing just folds her arms and looks at the dirt floor in her cell. "I'm keeping you here overnight if I catch you bothering my Jarl again I'm going to let Toothless handle you." Eret tells her and walks off.

A few minutes after Astrid hears the door slam she looks up and her anger faded. What is wrong with me, she asks herself that question over and over again she never runs after any man they usually run after her but now that she's older they've grown tired of the bruises and wounds she inflicted on them and her threats and cruel words didn't excitet men anymore. Her look are the only thing she has running for her not her wonderful personality she hides deep, deep, deep within herself or her hunting skills, sewing skills, weapons training or many of the other things she's learned to master in her 22 years of life it's her long blonde hair she now wears down, her flawless skin, hypnotizing smile, and blue eyes but that's it. Men want her for nothing more than her looks but Hiccup had wanted her for so much more. He always saw her as more than a woman; he saw her as an equal, a superior he held her on a golden pedestal and now it's too late. She made a mistake, possibly the biggest mistake of her life and now she's stuck with Snotlout and even he isn't pinning after her anymore.

Astrid sighs in defeat; she knows that even if his wife is dead Hiccup would still never love her, never care for her, Hel she would be lucky if he touched her for however long they lived. She will never have Hiccup not again and she needs another plan to get off of Berk or to find her family money or a higher status so they can survive.

"Gods." she mumbles softly to herself wondering how she became this, this thing. This emotionless being so desperate for the highest position and power. So desperate to prove people wrong who didn't have an opinion on her in the first place. She fought hard for people to stay away then cried when they left and now here she is in a dungeon made of dirt and metal again because she doesn't understand herself and doesn't care to understand anyone else either.

As the young woman takes a look into her past and follows the trail into her present she feels this burning sensation in her core. A feeling she has only ever felt once when she came second in dragons training to Snotlout all because she was too slow on the kill.

Disappointment.

She feels disappointed in how far she's fallen from the brave girl she used to be. She used to be mean for a reason, people wanted to use her. Threatening for a reason, boys wanted to take her freedom. Driven because she wanted to prove them wrong. And now she stares at parts of her reflection in a brown bucket of water she sees none of those things all she sees is a mean washed up wanna be.

She doesn't understand where she fell or why she fell so far and so hard but she knows she can't stay this way but doesn't have the slightest idea of how to get herself back up or out. All she knows is she has to, she has to escape or she won't last. The Hofferson name will disappear with her.

When her mind finally calms a faint sound catches her.

Dust falls from the ceiling in time with the sound. The bucket of water seems to shake with it stops for a while and everything goes still before it starts again. The blonde moves from her feet to her cell door. Seeing as though they were designed for dragons she slips her hand through and pulls the latch. Using all her stretch she pushes on the cell door moving it little by little until her willowy frame can move through the crack she created.

She follows the sound of her curiosity taking her further into the dungeons until she stops in front of a cage. Her eyes go wide at the sight of the dragon that nearly ate her.

She had no idea they locked the creature back up but then again having such a dangerous dragon eating creature out on an island filled with dragons is not the brightest of ideas.

The dragon eyes Astrid It's dark eyes stare at her before waking away not interested in the vikinig women. Red catches the womens eyes. Fresh blood is on the metal door must be from the dragon running into it over and over again. Astrid finds herself eyeing the shedding dragon with curiosity. "Why-" she stops herself as the dragon comes charging full speed and smacks into the metal door. It makes that cage bars vibrate from the force and the dragon falls to its feet. It stays there for a moment before shaking its head and trying again.

By the third time the dragon takes longer to get up wobbling towards the back of the cage. Slowly it turns it's body back around it's head wound slowly trickling down blood. The creature's eyes holding a tired and drained emotion Astrid understands. The blonde woman watches the dragon get itself ready to charge before something in her snaps. In a non thinking moment Astrid opens the cage just as the beast comes charging. Astrid lets out a yelp and dives out of the way her eyes shut tight just wanting the dragon to find a way out and leave her be.

How ever the dragon seems to have other plans. When Astrid opens her eyes the dragon is standing before her and Astrid questions herself as to why she would do such a stupid thing by letting the dragon that tried to kill her out of its cage? The giant dragon eyes the female up and down taking a step towards the human sniffing at her curious as to why the clearly terrified human did such a nice thing?

With each step the dragon takes Astrid pushes herself back one until she has nowhere left to go. Her back is pinned on a wooden wall and her front is facing a dragon. The dragon who's few remaining scales are purple and blue gets as close as she possibly can to Astrid who is nearly shaking against the wall.

The dragon makes no move to eat her or kill her or claw her to shreds it just stands there staring at her staring into her really. It's black pits hold specks of blue, the same blue Astrid has in her eyes. The blue peaks through the blackness shining brighter than the dragons dark and damaged soul and it dawns on Astrid.

This dragon has no idea who she is anymore. She's done terrible things. She's eaten her on kind which forced her to be locked away as she changes. As she learns who she's becoming and comes to terms with what led her here. The poor creature's soul is not what it once was, it's damaged just like Åse said Astrid's is. The dots connect in Astrid's brain the memory of what she's seen Fishlegs do with his dragon.

The idea of bonding with the evolving dragon doesn't seem like a bad one. So slowly and cautiously Astrid brings her hand up from her side trying to keep her palm steady as she pushes it forward until only a few inches remain between her and the dragon's snout.

The dragon eyes the humans pale hand unure until it looks back at the human girl with blackness in her eyes that she can not see past. She looks back at the hand and pushes her head forward until they meet as one.

Astrid's heart sours a smile of disbelief on her face however it's replaced by one of fear as the dragon Astrid has yet to name wraps its claws around her and flies off. There was a reason she was trying to get out from that cage and Astrid is going to help her with it.