Chapter 13
The SUV was silent as the group made their way down the dark curving backroads of rural Berk. No lights were available to illuminate their path this far from the city other than their two headlights. Astrid slowed down as she turned down a mostly hidden unmarked road. If you didn't know it was there you would have most certainly missed it.
As Astrid turned down the tree lined road a chime was heard inside of the vehicle, effectively breaking the silence as the screen in the dashboard lit up in conjunction to the noise. An alarm notice flashing on it. Reaching down Astrid clicked a quick code into the screen and turned it off.
Hiccup rose and eyebrow and looked at Astrid, "what was that?" He knew she was still upset with him but he assumed asking a simple question such as that was fine.
Without taking her eyes off the dirt road Astrid answered him, "my alarm system. We just entered my property." She paused, "like I said, safest place on Berk."
The cars occupants grew quiet again digesting the information while they continued to stare out the windows. All curious about what kind of place Astrid called home. Finally after cresting a small hill the trees opened up and a building came into view. Perched near a cliff, overlooking the ocean, sat a not overly large two story industrial looking building. At first glance anyone would think the multi level brick building was vacant. Especially with the climbing vines, aged brick and boarded up front door. But now six more people knew the truth of what actually was there.
Astrid drove up besides the building and gently eased the car to a stop near a side entrance, putting the car into park and turning the SUV off. Simultaneously Hiccup, Snotlout and Fishlegs reached for the doors next to them and pulled the handle all instantly meeting resistance from the locks. Questioningly Hiccup looked over at Astrid only to find her in the same position as before. Hands tightly gripping the steering wheel, looking out the front windshield with a tense look on her face.
Clearing his throat lightly, "uh–Astrid? We need you to unlock the doors." He gestured slightly to the locked doors while never taking his eyes off of her.
Finally after a few tense minutes Astrid seemed to acknowledge him and everyone else waiting inside the locked car. Closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh Astrid turned to them.
"I need to go over something before we go inside. This is my home and very few people have ever been allowed inside of it. Mainly because I don't like a lot of people…but also because my personal things are in there." She glanced away and to the building before looking back at the group. Oddly her gaze resting on Heather. "Things that won't make a lot of sense to you." Shifting her intense gaze now to Hiccup, who met it just as intensely, "you just have to trust me and–and I'll try to explain as much as possible. Okay?"
The car fell utterly silent, taking in all that she had said. More questions running through their minds than answers. Nervously they glanced between them before they all tentatively nodded their heads. Tinges of fear and curiosity running through their bodies as they agreed.
She stiffly nodded before unlocked the doors, "Alright then, let's get inside." Quickly everyone exited the damaged SUV, everyone except Astrid instantly locking eyes on the aged brick building. Hiccup walked up to it, past the overgrown weeds surrounding it and right up to the brick, inspecting it. His fingers carefully skimmed over a symbol stamped brick. Tracing the fading unique symbols.
Masons haven't hand stamped bricks for over a hundred years now. He thought as he marveled at the old building. Considering his love of all things engineering and design he highly respected the men who crafted and built things of the past. They engineered and built amazing structures like this building with little else than parchment and a coal pencil and they still stood today.
Truly amazing.
Hiccup was so wrapped up with his inspection of the old building that he never noticed Astrid walking up and standing beside him. Looking around as well.
"She's almost two hundred years old." Hiccup glanced sideways at Astrid. Equally surprised by her presence as he was that she was talking to him. Not one to waste this opportunity Hiccup spoke up.
"Oh–wow. She's magnificent. I can see you've taken really good care of her." He fingered a repaired brick that looked near identical to the rest. "How long have you lived here?" Astrid tensed at the question before looking away.
"Lived here–about a year and half but my parents bought this building when I was a little girl." A small smile crossed her face, "they planned on turning it into a free clinic…but well that never happened." The smile dropped, "so now I live here." Astrid quickly moved from his side, toward the side door. Missing the look of awe on his face over the small bit of personal information that she had just revealed to him.
Does she even realize she said that? He wondered as thought back over what she said and followed behind her.
"So Astrid, I think you might want to work on the curb appeal of this place." Tuffnut said kicking a random rock. "Kinda comes off as a dump."
Astrid cocked a grin and looked over at the male twin, "that's the point Tuff." Walking up to the door Astrid pulled out her cellphone and tapped on the screen before a hidden panel was revealed behind the brick next to the door.
"Woah…" the group all said at once. Astrid moved her hand up to the panel and typed in yet another code before an audible thunk could be heard as the metal door in front of them unlocked.
Astrid led the way, pulling it open and stepping into the dark space. Automatically over head lights began to turn on, revealing a short brick lined hallway. The group followed Astrid as they walked through hallway until they all stopped in awe as they entered the two story main room of the building. Aged brick lined some of the walls of the room while off-white plaster covered the rest. Large wooden beams hung two stories above them, sturdy and strong, holding up the roof. To the right side of them, sat the open kitchen–modern stainless steel appliances and white cabinets topped also in a stainless steel counter lined the wall in an 'L' shape. An ornate antique table sat next to it with matching dining chairs–defining the kitchen are out of the large room.
On the opposite side of the kitchen rested the living area–a worn brown leather couch and two matching arm chairs sat in front of a large flat screen tv with was flanked on either side by several massive bookcases, filled to the brim with books and trinkets. Further past the inviting living space was the boarded up front door and staircase that led to a half railed second story walkway overlooking the entire room. Off of the walkway were several doors which the group assumed were bedrooms.
Overall the room's mixture of old and new gave it a warm and homey feeling, not at all what the group had assumed would be inside the old building. Especially after Astrid's speech outside.
"Wow Astrid…this is really…nice." Ruffnut nodded her head as she continued to look around.
Astrid cocked and eyebrow, "you sound surprised?"
"Well don't take this wrong Astrid but I am. I believe we all," she gestured to the group, "figured your house would be a little more–more…" Ruffnut moved her hands around, searching for the word.
"If I may Sister, we all assumed that your décor would be more…terrifying. You know knives and deadly weapons all over the place. That sort of thing."
Astrid cocked another eyebrow at the pair, rolled her eyes and looked to the kitchen, she strolled over the cabinets and ran her hand under the counter top. When suddenly a thin hidden drawer popped out, displaying a handgun.
"Is that deadly enough for you?" The twins nodded in unison while the rest of the group looked rather amused. "But I will say you're not wrong about this building having deadly weapons all over it. Back when it was new they built axes here. Stormfly Axe Manufacturers. I even found a couple of them in the floor when I was renovating the kitchen." She smirked slightly thinking about the small discoveries that she found while she was entrenched in the renovation of her home. A renovation that served as a distraction from the fact that at the time her entire world had been falling apart.
Hiccup smiled at the bit of information, it made this building so much more–Astrid. Turning around Hiccup and the rest of them, except Astrid, began to explore the main room. Hiccup's hand slid over the smooth surface of the antique dinning table in the kitchen, an odd piece of furniture that didn't seem like Astrid's style. It was to ornate and not really practical being that it was an eight seater table and she had admitted to not having many guests.
So why have it? He thought briefly before moving on and heading in the direction of the large bookcases that seemed to have captured everyone else's attention. Except Snotlout and Tuffnut who were already sitting on the couch channel surfing on the large flat screen.
Hiccup's vivid green eyes scanned over book title after book title. He figured the ones written about past historic battles and fictional thrillers were probably Astrid's but then there numerous medical journals mixed in. Which baffled him.
She did say her parents wanted to open a free clinic…maybe they're doctors?
His eyes dropped down to another shelf and a small picture frame caught his attention, simple brown wood surrounded a picture of what looked like a miniature version of Astrid and three people. Blonde hair pulled into pigtails, blue eyes shinning with a wide missing tooth grin the little girl, he assumed was Astrid, rode on a blonde man's shoulders. The man's face a picture of happiness as he stared at the happy little girl. Beside him an equally blonde women, who looked like a mature version of Astrid, smiled up at the two an arm wrapped around the man. And finally a young boy stood between the two adults looking directly at the camera with a grin on his face, he donned the same blonde hair and blue eyes as everyone else in the family but looked to be older than the little version of Astrid. All and all the family picture was one of blissful happiness.
A sad smile crawled across Hiccup's face as he stared at the little girl, what happened to you Astrid? Suddenly a memory flashed in his mind, back to the blow up fight they had, something that she had said right before he had ran upstairs and sought refuge in his room.
'We all have had shit in our past Hiccup, grow up, move on and live your damned life!'
Again another memory from earlier that night then crossed his mind, when they were talking about Snoggletog.
'Then I figured we would go visit Astrid's family.'
'There's no one to visit, we can just spend the day at your Father's.'
His eyes widened in realization of what her words meant now. Did you loose your family Astrid? Is-is that what happened to you? He thought as a sick feeling hit his stomach thinking about how much pain the little girl in the picture must have had to endure and still did.
A sharp feminine gasp brought him out of his thoughts as he turned in its direction. Heather stood at another bookcase a few feet away from him, visibly shaking while she also held something. With her back turned to the group no one knew what exactly she was looking at that could get her so upset.
"Heather, honey? What's wrong?" Fishlegs prodded gently, drawing the attention of everyone else in the room. When he didn't get a response Fishlegs looked worriedly at Hiccup who's face mimicked his own with worry.
"Heather?" Hiccups asked nervously. Glancing over at Astrid after he did, surprisingly Astrid had no look of surprise or concern on her face. Instead she stared straight at Heather with firm resolve. Like she was expecting Heather's reaction.
Is this what she was talking about? He thought wondering what exactly was in Heather's hands.
"What is this…?" Heather breathlessly whispered, not even turning around as she asked.
Not missing a beat Astrid answered. "Do you remember what I said in the car? This is what I was talking about." She said in a clipped matter of fact tone. Trying not to let her emotions run any part of her words.
Suddenly Heather spun around, her bright green eyes burning with unadulterated hate pointed directly at Astrid. Her hand tightly clutching a picture frame, thrusting it into view of everyone there.
"There's NO explaining this, you–you, TRAITOR!" Immediately everyone realized what had Heather so enraged. There perfectly framed in a sleek metal frame was a picture of three people, standing side by side, decked out in military gear with wide grins on their faces. The man on the left Hiccup realized looked like an older version of the young boy in the other frame, Astrid stood in the middle slightly younger then she was now but not by much, then last but certainly not least on the right was none other than Dagur Berserk.
Number two on the Archipelagos most wanted list, only after the leader of the deadly Outcasts. Wanted for theft, conspiracy to commit murder, murder and most importantly genocide of his people and the assassination of the President of Berserker Island, his Father Oswald Berserk.
Oh and he was Heather's Brother, the same brother who tried to kill her, leaving her to flee to Berk as a refugee.
All eyes left the damning photo to look at Astrid, who had yet to drop her eyes from Heather's. Her face having not changed from the cool mask from before.
"A-Astrid?" Hiccup could feel his heart palpitate thinking of the implications of the picture.
"Don't talk to her Hiccup. She's a traitor, this is the proof!" She thrust the picture more. "Hel, with friends like this I wouldn't be surprised if she's in on this whole assassination attempt on you!" Heather spit out venomously at the blonde across from her. Finally getting a reaction out of her, the firm mask dropping as anger replaced it.
"Heather, you have no idea what you're talking about." Astrid bit out behind clenched teeth, obviously trying to hold back what she really wished to say to Heather.
Heather scoffed at what Astrid said. "I have no idea? I have no Idea?! YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" She yelled and pointed at Dagur in the picture, "this monster killed my Father and THEN he killed our people! The only damn reason I'm still here today is because his Father saved me!" She was now pointing at Hiccup.
Astrid took a deep breath, fist tightening at her side, "The only reason I'm not decking you right now is because I know you don't know the truth, which by the way is exactly how they planned it. So instead I'll just tell you this, that monster is one of the most honorable men I have ever met and I'm proud to call him my friend and to have fought beside him." She took a few steps forward snatching the picture out of Heather's hands at a lightening speed. "Also you better watch your tongue, accusing me of something as egregious as betraying my home and people! I. Am. No. Traitor." She spun on the ball of her foot intending to leave this conversation before someone got hurt but then remembering something else she turned to face Heather again. "Oh and don't EVER accuse me of being one of the people trying to kill Hiccup! Do you understand me?" Heather said nothing, just returned the glare.
Not waiting on a response Astrid left, making her way up the stairs and through a door to its left.
The air around the group was thick with tension. No one knowing what to say after what just happened. The turn of events almost to stupendous to believe were real. Hiccup decided to be the first one to break from the group, being the closest to Astrid, he followed the path she had just taken.
"Hiccup! Don't go near her, it's not safe." Heather called out urgently as he reached the bottom of the stairs. Pausing he looked over at her, his brow furrowed and firm.
"Heather, don't." He took his eyes off of Heather's concerned ones briefly to look up the stairs and then brought them back to her. "I have no Gods damn idea what's going on but I know Astrid isn't one of the people trying to kill me. Astrid would never hurt me." He turned away from the group and without another word made his way up the stairs and to the closed door.
Taking a breath Hiccup slowly opened the door, expecting to be met with a bedroom he was surprised to see yet another staircase instead. Carefully making his way through the doorway and up the slim stairs he racked his brains to what he was going to say when he found Astrid. There were far to many questions rushing through his mind to know where to start first.
Finally at the top of the dimly lit staircase he came to yet another door, this one a thick metal. More than likely an exterior door. Again he carefully opened the door, this time being met by the cold ocean breeze hitting his face. Taking a deep breath Hiccup let the icy salt air sting his lungs in a familiar way. Living his whole life by the ocean it was something he never got tired of it.
Stepping out farther onto the roof, Hiccup could see the lights of Berk's city off in the distance, the boats that bobbed in the water and even the plane lights as they landed at the airport. It all just seemed so incredibly, busy, as he looked at from a far.
How did I never notice that before? He thought as he continued to marvel at how absolutely hectic the city was compared to the quiet peace that was Astrid's home. The stars seemed brighter out here, not ruined by the artificial light of the city and the air smelled cleaner–crisper. He could see why she would choose to live out here. Speaking of Astrid, Hiccup turned his view to the red clad blonde who was leaning against the railing of the roof overlooking the ocean.
Crossing the distance silently Hiccup took the place beside her leaning against the railing in a similar fashion. The only difference Hiccup didn't have a cigarette in his hand that he was steadily puffing on.
The two stayed silent, Hiccup thinking about what to say and Astrid trying to calm down. Glancing to over Hiccup noticed the picture frame of her, Dagur and the mystery man in her hand, suddenly he knew what to say.
"What's his name?" He asked quietly as he nodded his head to the frame. Hands curled together with his elbows supporting him on the railing.
Astrid cocked an eyebrow and looked over at him, "you know who Dagur is Hiccup."
Hiccup shook his head, "no. The other guy." His green eyes never leaving her face, trying to gage a reaction to the question.
Astrid slid her gaze down and couldn't help but let a small smile crawl at her face, "Thuggory." Her thumb moved to caress the picture frame where Thuggory's smiling face laid. "He was my brother."
Hiccup swallowed thickly as the 'was' hung heavily between them. So he was at least partially right. She had lost family, a brother. Now he just had to figure out if Astrid's tragic past continued on to more than just her brother. Unfortunately he felt the answer was yes.
Hiccup knew from his own personal experience that no 'I'm sorry' or any other type of condolences would make a bit of difference to her. It wouldn't bring him back or make her feel better so he decided to go a different route.
"What was he like?" He asked looking between the smiling face of Astrid's brother and the Astrid in the picture. Same grins, same bright icy blue eyes, both blonde. There was no denying their genetic bond.
"He was…everything." Astrid said before she took another drag on her cigarette blowing the smoke into the air away from them. Hiccup nodded understanding exactly what she meant by the vague statement.
His Mom and their family friend Gobber had been everything to him too.
And then something amazing happened, Astrid continued talking. Slightly cracking the tightly sealed box that held any personal details about herself and letting him get a glimpse inside.
"He died about a year and a half ago." Her eyes dulled as she stared out at the inky black ocean. No doubt reliving the memories of his passing. Hiccup saw her shake a bit as she did and while he figured it was more than likely due to her emotions he also knew she was standing outside in a strapless dress during Berks winter. So quietly he shrugged off his tux jacket and gently draped it over her shoulders. Breaking her of the memories that held her captive.
Turning slightly Astrid locked eyes with him, as she did she pulled the jacket tighter around her, gaining his full attention. She needed him to understand what she said next. It was the only way to explain why something like tonight can't happen ever again. "Hiccup...my brother…he died saving my life." Hiccup's eyes widened at the information. Staying that way as she continued talking.
"You can never do what you did tonight again. Don't ever try to save my life at the risk of your own again. Please." Hiccup thought to give a counter argument but knew better. This was too delicate of an issue with her. Anyways, Thuggory looked like a skilled soldier from the picture and if he could fall protecting Astrid what chance did Hiccup have?
Reluctantly Hiccup nodded, as much as he hated the idea he knew he couldn't fight her about it. She would undoubtedly win.
Silence grew again between the pair, Astrid obviously done talking about her past, firmly locking her emotional box back up again. As they stood there staring out at the ocean a question began gnawing at Hiccup's mind, something he had been wondering all night.
"Astrid?" She took another drag on her cigarette and met his eyes, "when I had the gun pointed at the man on top of you. Y-you gave me this look, like–like you were telling me not to do it. Not to shoot him. Why?"
Her eyes never left his as she thought carefully on how she wanted to answer the question. Taking a last drag on her cigarette Astrid took it out of her mouth and flicked it off the side of the building and then carefully set the shiny picture frame on the roof, right beside their feet.
"Give me your hands Hiccup." She ordered him, holding out both of her hands, palms up. Tentatively he reached forward not quite sure where this was going and laid his hands into her own. Slowly Astrid flipped them palms up as well. "What do you see when you look at your hands Hiccup?"
Puzzled Hiccup looked down at his pale, slightly freckled hands, not seeing anything of importance he shrugged. "That they're incredibly manly?" He quipped sarcastically.
Astrid cocked an eyebrow at the statement and shook her head, "not even close, try again."
Hiccup scoffed at the dis and shrugged again, "I don't know Astrid they're just hands. There's nothing special about them." He said giving up, wanting Astrid to tell him how this related to her not wanting him to shoot that man.
"Fine, how about I tell you what I see when I look at your hands," she paused as she ran her fingers gently over the skin sending bolts electricity down his spine. "I see hands that build things. That can create things that only you can imagine. I see hands that help others. But most importantly I see hands that will save lives with what they create ." She looked up and met his wide green eyes with her own piercing gaze. "Don't you see it, your hands give life, Hiccup. They don't take it away. You're no killer."
Hiccup's insides felt like a steel band was wrapped around them, squeezing so tightly that it was almost painful. Making his breath come out harshly and infrequent. The words Astrid had said to him, about him. Were some of the most sincere phrases ever uttered to him. He could feel how much Astrid believed undoubtedly every single word. Which meant everything to him and yet...
He dropped his head in shame, his auburn hair covering his eyes. "Y-you're wrong, Astrid. I-I am a killer…my M-Mom and–and G-Gobber. They're gone b-because of me and I–" he painfully stuttered out only to be cut of by a firm hand tug from Astrid.
"Hiccup, look at my hands." He looked up only to find her hands now on top of his open palms. "Hiccup, look closely at them. Do you see the scars?" he narrowed his gaze and even with only the light of the full moon and the small outdoor light by the door he could see them. Small silvery scars that were scattered randomly across the flesh. He also noticed the raw and bruised skin from what happened tonight.
"Hiccup, these are the hands of a killer." She said squeezing his hands again in her own, bringing his eyes up to her own. "No matter what happened to your Mom and Gobber, it wasn't your fault. You're no killer Hiccup."
And for the first time since they disappeared he believed those words.
With hands still entwined the two stared deeply into each other's eyes, neither one daring to break the others gaze. Both completely lost in the moment. Neither one noticing that they were slowly edging closer to the other. Or that their visions were getting increasingly more narrowed as their eyelids began to slide shut.
Until Astrid's cellphone let out a shrill alarm, breaking the silent moment around them.
Both snapped back quickly, untangling their hands and severing their connection. Hiccup began scratching nervously behind his neck and looked away trying to hide the light blush dusting his face. While Astrid coughed lightly and reached down, plucking the phone off of the ground where it laid along with the picture frame.
"Well looks like your Dad just entered the property." She said as she quickly typed in a code to her phone. "We should–uh head back in. I know Heather is probably ready for some answers and your Dad's the man to give them to her." Hiccup nodded slightly, still slightly flustered by the almost kiss.
"Uh, Astrid, you obviously know what's going on. So why didn't you just tell her?" Astrid shrugged as she walked to the rooftop door.
"Not my story to tell Hiccup." She said looking over her jacket covered shoulder before turning back and leading them inside.
So there are some chapters and scenes that you imagine right from start when you're coming up your story. This chapter was one of those for me. I'm so excited that Astrid's past and the unseen connections are starting to be slowly revealed! Make
And dang Astrid's phone for interrupting the almost kiss!
Also I made a slight oversight in never mentioning that Gobber was also lost at the same time as Valka. More will be revealed about what happened to them later but as I wrote this I realized Hiccup had never brought it up. So my bad. I figured y'all might have been curious as to why he wasn't hanging around Stoick like he normally does. I'll be correcting it in earlier chapters probably, later tonight.