Hiccup was done checking on everybody and stopped in his tracks in the main room of the island.
The room was empty. Every Berkian was either waiting outside for the battle to begin or stood by their dragons in the west room corridor to the open entrance to come out flying that way like a surprise attack from the side. Healers were ready to heal and help the future wounded in the west room.
Hiccup swallowed down the lump of fear he had had for days now, but there was no going back now and definitely not since yesterday.
Vylma's words rang in his head, "You don't have two daughters anymore, you only have Magnhild." "I will never forgive you for bringing death upon us." "Congratulations, chief Hiccup, you have just lost a child." "Yes, the dragon head I got from Grimmel, was the head of the night fury I killed."
The words went around and around in his head and it made him feel useless and a horrible father. It felt like the time his father had disowned him when Hiccup told him about Toothless and the nest. Just now it was his daughter walking out on him, saying she wasn't his daughter anymore. Gods, it hurts.
"Hiccup?" Astrid's voice put Hiccup out of his thoughts.
Astrid was angry with herself for not thinking about what would happen to Vylma if Toothless was let free, he knew that and still felt ashamed from when Astrid came in after Vylma had walked out. She had stood there, watching him with tears in her eyes while he stood like an idiot, just staring at the door, wanting to run after Vylma but the rest of the day was dealing with the thoughts of; running after Vylma and talk to her or coming to Barvik and not being welcome.
Vylma could easily tell everyone on Barvik to not let Hiccup or Astrid into the village .
The kids had come home in the middle of Hiccup crying and Astrid sitting with her head in her hands feeling lost.
After telling their kids what had happen; Magnhild had started yelling at her parents. "How could you not think about her?" "She's a queen!". She had only spoken to him if necessary, and that also hurt Hiccup. Now two of his kids didn't talk to him. Stoick had defended his parents; "They can't think about everything and if Vylma was worried about dad letting Toothless free, then why didn't she tell him about it days ago?". Finn didn't want any part of it, but was not happy with any of his parents for not talking about it before telling Vylma about it. "I'm not taking any sides here because we're going to war tomorrow and we need to trust each other. We can talk about it after the war, if we're even alive."
Finn was right, they had a war to win. Everything else could be dealt with when they were done here.
It still didn't mean the feeling Astrid felt of being a horrible mother was gone. Hiccup could still see it and their friends could tell something had happened in the Haddock family, but they hadn't told them anything.
"Hiccup."
He blinked and watched her walking towards him. She had her nadder armor on. The one he had made for her years ago. It was a little tight around her hips and chest from bearing twins twice since she last wore it, but she had put it on and Hiccup was glad she wore it. More protection from her getting hurt. He had thought of making their kids armors of his own, but they grew so fast he had put it off until they stopped growing. Now he wished he had made those armor to the kids, they probably needed it in this war. But what was done was done, no going back.
"I'm sorry," he apologized like all the times he had done yesterday and this morning.
Astrid shook her head slowly, "Stop. I don't want to hear more apologies. Save them for Vylma." she took a breath and took his hands in hers. His gloved hands as he had his armor on he had made for himself at the same time he had made hers. "Right now I want you to go out there and lead Berk to victory. If you need to do something crazy out there, come out alive."
"And if I came out with another missing limb?" he asked in a low voice and a small smile on his lips.
She took a step closer. "Just come back alive and don't give me a heart attack from seeing you dead for the third time."
She kissed him quickly on the lips before pulling back and touched their foreheads to each other, with their eyes closed.
Hiccup cupped her cheek and gently stroked it."Then don't give me a heart attack from seeing you fall from Stormfly to your death."
They stood like that for a while until Astrid leaned away and opened her eyes. They had a war to win right now and their people to lead.
"Come on," Astrid began and Hiccup opened his eyes. "Grimmels and Vylmas ships has been seen and Berk is waiting for their leader."
Hiccup let go of her right hand and held her left in a tight grip. "They are waiting for their leaders." They walked to the middle platform where their people were waiting for them.