=Normal POV=
(Wednesday; 6/12/2020- 5:15 pm)
(Archian Isle; Castle Gardens)
Astrid sat there in her seat, holding Drago Bludvist's spellbook in her hands. Now, Astrid knew from five months ago when Bolverk bonded with Toothless at her coronation that Bolverk admitted to his father giving him the book in case coming to Archian Isle was a trap. Astrid understood that, so she wasn't surprised that Bolverk would have such a powerful item. No, what shocked Astrid was Bolverk still having the book. Astrid made it clear that all magical items were kept in the museum. Astrid believed that Bolverk had turned it in after the fight against Drago, but evidently not and that's why she seemed so surprised to see that not only had Bolverk not handed over the book, but it was in his possession and only an arms-length away. Astrid had asked Bolverk just moments ago why he had the book, but Bolverk had not yet given her a response
"Bolverk," Astrid stated again, looking at her boyfriend. "Why do you have this?"
Bolverk straightened up a bit, trying to compose himself from the shock that Astrid found out the book wasn't in the museum of magic artifacts and history. "I-I, uh, tossed that in there last minute," Bolverk stated.
"I…Thought you donated this to the museum after the fight with your dad…" Astrid looked over the book. "It's been five months since then. My parents and I made it clear that all magic items go to the museum for safekeeping…" She reminded.
"I-I thought I did, Astrid. Things have been a little crazy since that day, and I found it earlier when…I was cleaning the locker out. Everything got tossed in my backpack and then I went…Right to the kitchen to make dinner for us. When I found it there, I decided to put it in the basket, so I wouldn't forget it in my bag. Th-That's why I brought it, so I could…Donate it on the way back, since I…Fly right over the museum…" Bolverk lied as she started to inspect more.
"You…Haven't been using this, have you?" Astrid inquired, noticing the tabbed pages. "Because you know we don't…Rely on magic unless it's an emergency…"
"No, of course not, Milady…" Bolverk said as calmly as he could manage. "Those were old marked pages," He added.
Astrid eyed Bolverk before she opened the book on the first tabbed page. "Speed reader and memory spell," Bolverk tensed a little as she went to the next one as her eyes widened a little. "Royal appearance spell?" She stated as Bolverk bit his lower lip and she went to the last one, and instantly looked at him, then the table, and back at Bolverk. "Cooking spell…" Bolverk knew he'd been caught. Astrid sat back, closing the book. "And here I was giving you props for fitting in and doing your best in all this craziness." She said, clearly in disbelief and hurt.
Bolverk paused on a response. "Take this moment of yours and mine, remove it-" He stopped. "Reverse it?" Bolverk couldn't remember the spell that would make her forget finding the book.
"You're trying to spell me to forget I found this, aren't you!? Are you serious?" Astrid quickly backed up angrily.
"Astrid, please…" Bolverk tried. "You have no idea how hard it's been for-," He started.
"Yeah, some things are hard, Bolverk. It's life, it's not supposed to be easy or everyone would do it! You think it's been easy for me to learn to be queen?!" Astrid remarked.
"No, but-," Bolverk began.
"I thought we were doing this together," Astrid stepped away from him.
Bolverk stood, putting his hand out for hers. "Astrid, we are doing this together," Bolverk reassured.
"No, we're not," Astrid shook her head, and Bolverk swore he saw tears forming in her eyes. "We're not. You're…Keeping secrets in having this after you told me you got rid of it. You've been lying to me about doing your best to fit in here, and you're really just…Using this to slide through it all because it's easier," Astrid continued. "I thought we were done with that and agreed to do this together because it was new for both of us…" Bolverk didn't know what to say. "We don't just do whatever we want here when things get too hard. This isn't Outcast Island, Bolverk." Bolverk's eyes widened at her words.
"Yeah, believe me…I know that," Bolverk said, his tone just slightly annoyed. "It was easier there, and at least I was in control of my life,"
Astrid gasped. "Excuse me?"
"Maybe we didn't have magic, internet, or any of the things you all have here…" Bolverk paused. "But at least I could do what I wanted. I could make my own decisions. I could be however I wanted to be. I could be myself," Astrid's eyes widened. "I know you have it hard learning how to be queen, but what you don't get is that you have grown up learning how to be a royal. You've been taught and conditioned to this lifestyle…I haven't."
"What is going on out here?" Stoick asked, Valka, and Gobber beside him. Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, Camicazi, and the outcast kids were with them.
"I come from Outcast Island, Astrid. The only thing I got to learn how to do was to survive every day and I did it without magic." Bolverk continued, not caring who was there. Astrid's eyes softened a little. "You have no idea how hard it is to go from being one of the most feared people around to your perfect king. To go from being a nothing to being someone. To change everything about yourself just to fit in. To be losing control of your own life. The only choices I've made since coming here have been to be good and stay. Stay with you, stay at school, stay with my friends, my dragons…And everything was great…Until this ball got announced and I'm being thrown into a life that I have no idea how to live and I'm expected to learn how to live said life in order to stay with you,"
Astrid bit back some. "But this isn't me, okay?" Bolverk went on. "Me, right now, is not who I am. I'm not saying I want to go back to being evil or anything, but it would be nice if maybe you could remember that I was not born here. I was not born a royal and have not lived my last seventeen years learning how to live that life. You cannot expect me to be able to take in and retain all your teachings over the years about being royalty in six weeks. I've been dragged into meetings, conferences, fittings, lessons…All these things you've done all your life, and I've just been expected to be able to jump in and follow suit. I've done my best to be the guy you want at your side as you rule. I've changed everything about myself for you to be that guy…" Bolverk paused.
"But it's not me. I'm not a lord, a prince, or a king. I know that's what you want me to be, but I'm sorry…I can't. Everything I used in this was to play the part, for you. It wasn't for things to be easy for me. It wasn't to make it seem like we weren't doing this together. It was just so I could try to catch up to your level for this ball. And then I was gonna donate it and work at learning everything the right way with lessons or whatever because there would have been more time. But you expected me to act like I've been royal my whole life over the last month and a half…And that's impossible. So yes…I used magic just to be able to get through all this for you and not make you look bad for wanting to be with an outcast." Bolverk informed. "I tried to do it the other way, and all I got told was a bunch of you can't do or wear that when you're with the queen. Basically being told you're not good enough, so I changed…For you, Astrid."
The area was quiet now. "I did all this for you, but you want to stand there and tell me I'm not trying my best to fit in? You didn't even have the decency to tell me that this whole ball is more a less a way for you to announce me as your future husband, minus an actual engagement." Astrid flinched at his words. "So you can keep secrets about my future changing just because I'm dating you, but I'm the one catching grief about using two spells to fit into the life you're throwing me into. I kind of feel like these things should have been discussed first between us instead of you just going about normal and not asking the other person involved if they're okay with or ready for it." Bolverk stated.
When no one said anything, mainly Astrid, Bolverk felt a bit hurt and definitely stated solid reasoning for why he was bothered by Astrid trying to make him seem guilty. "Like I said…This person before you, me, is not me, Astrid. I'm not the guy, right now, that you met last November when I came here. The hair, fake. The clothes, fake…I'm a fake," Bolverk informed as she looked at him. Sighing, Bolverk reached over the table and grabbed the spellbook, holding it with one hand as he flipped through a few pages once it was opened. "Take these words and heed this call; the time has come for my spell to fall. This sight you see is merely a fantasy, but here now before your eyes, I reveal the truth and end all lies." Bolverk swished his finger up, left, right, and finally, down as a swirl of black energy circled the table and changed it back to the botched dinner he made before the spell. The energy also encased Bolverk, reverting his appearance back to how he looked when he first came to Archian Isle.
Bolverk closed the book and looked at Astrid. "This is who I am, Astrid. This is the real me," Bolverk told her as he shut his eyes and walked past her.
"Bolverk, wait…" Astrid tried, but Bolverk only shook his head.
"No…No. Just leave me alone right now…" Bolverk reached Toothless, who got up, crooning at his friend sadly. Bolverk got on his back and patted Toothless's neck gently before the Night Fury shot into the dark sky above, and quickly vanished from sight.
Astrid was about to grab Stormfly when Heather stopped her, giving a soft look. "Don't, Astrid…" Heather informed.
"You're never going to catch him, not while he's flying," Eret added.
"And trying to talk to him now is pointless. Let him calm down tonight, and you guys can talk tomorrow," Olivia remarked.
"Okay…" Astrid agreed, nodding her head sadly.
"I think it's a good time to end the night. Everyone head to your homes, or dorms," Valka mentioned.
"Yes, Mrs. Haddock," The friends replied, preparing to leave.
"Come along, Astrid," Stoick urged. Astrid sighed and nodded her head to her father, then headed inside the castle while staff handled clean up of the dinner, and getting Stormfly in her stable.
. . .
(Friday, 6/14/2020-9:00 am)
(Archia Preparatory)
Bolverk was already asleep when Heather, Olivia, Soren, and Eret finally got back to the school and up to the dorms. The friends decided to just leave things alone for the night, and they'd talk to Bolverk in the morning. However, when that came, they woke to find Bolverk already gone, and Toothless too. Bolverk took off all day, refused to answer his phone, and no one could find him until today, Friday morning when they woke to see Bolverk in his bed, fast asleep. The assumption was that Bolverk likely came back late after they'd gone to bed and snuck in silently. All four knew Bolverk had a temper and Odin help whoever got on the receiving end. In truth, though, Bolverk never went to sleep. Bolverk just had his back turned to them and had been laying on his side, but he wasn't sleeping. So when the friends left for breakfast, Bolverk finally shifted to be on his back and look up at the ceiling.
"Who was I trying to fool?..." Bolverk sighed as he sat up and got off the bed, looking at his father's cage beside his bed. "I was born an outcast, not a lord, prince, or king. I can't be what they want me to be…I'll never fit in here…" His father's lizard form came up on the side of the tank closest to Bolverk, looking at him with eyes that Bolverk clearly saw was his father telling him that he tried to warn him that he'd never be like them. "You're right…I don't belong here…" Bolverk got up, grabbing a few things into his satchel, then his backpack before opening the tank and pulling his father out to set on his shoulder. "Let's get out of here, Dad," Bolverk stated as Drago nodded his head. Bolverk pulled off the ring Astrid had given him five months ago and set it down next to a small note on his bed before leaving the room and heading for the stables to get Toothless and Sharpshot.
. . .
(10:00 am)
(Archian Isle Bridge)
Using an easy transformation spell on Toothless, after asking him if he wanted to come with and the Night Fury agreeing, Bolverk miniaturized Toothless to be able to sit on his shoulder with Sharpshot. Bolverk moved swiftly and silently to the invisible bridge that led across to Outcast Island. Bolverk went through the spellbook quickly and found one to make crossing simple and quick.
"With waves that move across the seas, you will take me wherever I please," Bolverk recited before putting the book back in his bag, then walking forward off the bridge's edge. The water reacted and came up to catch him, allowing him to stand on a piece of wood, then carrying him across the ocean over to the broken part of the bridge that entered Outcast Island. The waves raised to set him up there and he easily walked through the barrier with a grin almost.
. . .
(11:00 am)
(Outcast Island; Hideout)
There was no sense in beating around the bush once he was past the barrier, Bolverk contently moved through the streets to reach the hideout he and his friends made for themselves in an old, abandoned building. Bolverk reached the entrance and quickly opened it to get inside, making sure to seal the door once in. Bolverk walked to the open hangout area between all their rooms, it had been their home away from headquarters home. Bolverk knew that he and his friends weren't anybody from Outcast Island favorite's for failing to carry out the plan to destroy the barrier five months ago, so it was best to attract as little attention as possible. Bolverk tossed his bags into his room and flopped on the couch with a sigh. Well, he was home, so now the question was what did he do since he was back. Terrorize people? Return to being bad? Bolverk supposed there was time to think about it, but right now, he really just wanted to go to sleep as he hadn't since Tuesday night. Adjusting slightly, Bolverk laid out on the couch with his two dragons and lizard father near him and then fell asleep.
. . .
(1:00 pm)
(Archian Isle; Archia Prep)
The friends all sat together through lunch, classes were only half-day for the sake of more royal ball things. Bolverk never showed up and wasn't responding to their messages either.
"Let's just go see him?" Fishlegs suggested. "I'm sure he can't still be sleeping…"
"Might as well. Should we grab Astrid?" Eret asked.
"No. She's busy with ball stuff…Come on," Heather stood up from her seat, and then the group did as well, making their way to the dorms and reaching the one Bolverk, Eret, and Soren shared. "Bol?" Heather tried, knocking on the door twice with her knuckle. "Hey, come on…Couples fight all the time. You've had your time apart, now go make up," No answer.
"Watch out," Eret sighed as he got his room key and opened the door. However, the first thing he noticed was that Bolverk's bed was made up, and empty. "Bolverk?" Eret stated, walking in more, and then the group behind him.
"His clothes are missing from the closet and chest," Soren pointed out.
"His father isn't in the tank…" Olivia mentioned. Slowly, they were becoming more worried about their friend.
"Sharpshot and Toothless aren't in their stable," Snotlout informed. "I know he installed a camera in there to keep an eye on them, but the monitor for the system is right here, and they aren't inside,"
"He's not picking up his phone," Fishlegs frowned, but then saw Heather near the bed, holding something in her hands. "Heather? What's wrong?" Heather slowly faced them, with sadness in her green eyes as she held up a note and the ring Astrid gave Bolverk five months ago at the coronation when she admitted that her feelings for him were real even after the spell had washed away in the lake at the Enchanted Cove. The friends gasped, understanding now what happened.
. . .
(1:30 pm)
(The Castle; Astrid's Office)
Despite the fight with Bolverk that kept her up all night, Astrid knew she was the queen and couldn't shirk her duties to the kingdom. Astrid planned to see Bolverk when all this was finished, she felt enough time would have passed for him to have cooled off and they could talk. A knock came to the door as she looked up from the paper she'd been signing.
"Come in," Astrid stated, setting the paper aside and pen down. Heather walked in, then the rest of her friends as she rose to her feet. "Hi everyone. What can I do for you?" She smiled but didn't see them smiling in return. "What's wrong?"
Heather approached her. "Bolverk has gone back to Outcast Island…" Astrid's eyes widened as Heather handed her the note Bolverk left behind. "And Astrid…" Heather made the young queen look at her again, but only saw Heather holding her ring out, the one she gave to Bolverk.
