Astrid woke up again, feeling more rested, 12 hours later. Now the happiness of her waking up felt more dreaded than before.
Hiccup didn't know where to start when he sat beside Astrid watching her drink the last of the water in the mug before taking it himself to place it on the bedside table.
"Something is wrong, I can feel it." She told him.
Hiccup looked down at his and Astrid's linked hands. He gave hers a light squeeze and told himself to tell her, but his words got stuck in his throat.
"Hiccup," Astrid said gently and held his hand tighter, "please has anything happened to them. Is Stoick alright or..."
The silent tears that started running down Hiccup's cheeks and his inability to speak told her enough to figure out what had happened to their oldest son.
"Hiccup please don't tell me he's..."
He nodded when he saw the realisation on her face. The realisation about their dead son.
Hiccup embraced her as they both cried. Astrid curled against Hiccup's chest as the tears soaked his tunic. She was shaking and didn't hold back her cries. Hiccup cried with her as he held his wife and gently rocket her back and forward.
The couple didn't know how long they stayed like that, but when the tears came silent and their breath were almost even, Astrid couldn't wait any longer and asked how Stoick died.
Hiccup knew the question was coming. He took a deep breath and answered her.
"He... he saved Finn. Stoick saved Finn by taking the... blow that would have killed Finn. I wasn't there... I didn't see it happen, I've only been told what had happened from Finn and Magnhild. Vylma was there too, but we... We talked about other things than... what happened?"
"They were there too?" Astrid sniffed. "Finn, Vylma and Magnhild saw Stoick..."
"Unfortunately" Hiccup mumbled, hugging Astrid close to him and laid his cheek on top of her head.
Astrid swallowed and closed her eyes as she tried to get the image of Finn, Vylma and Magnhild sitting by Stoick's dead body. An image she never wanted to have in her head and never wanted her kids to experience. She knew they would see some not so pretty scenes in this war, it was a war after all, death couldn't be avoided in war.
"I need to see them," she said and withdrew from Hiccup's arms, "I need to see the kids."
"Of course." Hiccup nodded and kissed her cheek before climbing off the bed to get their children.
"So when can I meet him?" Astrid asked, making Vylma roll her eyes.
"You've already met him."
"As your messenger boy, not as your fiancé."
Vylma smiled and looked away from her mother.
It was hours since Astrid woke up and one hour since Vylma had gotten to Berk after Magnhild had flown to Barvik to get her sister home to their awoken mother. Vylma had dropped everything and was on dragon back flying towards Berk before Magnhild even had finished her sentence.
Now the sun was down and Astrid and Vylma had been talking ever since Vylma walked into the bedroom. She had told her mother what had happened in the battle, what had happened to Barvik afterwards and how she had been coping after the war. The talk between her and Hiccup was also brought up. Tears couldn't be held back from both parts and Vylma didn't know how much she had missed her mother's hugs when Astrid started hugging her daughter, ignoring the pain in her right hand.
Now Vylma had brought up Alvar and Vylma felt the talking became lighter for her.
"I'll tell him to come here as soon as possible, but I think it will be by boat because he hasn't become used to flying yet." Vylma told her and moved her eyes to her mom again.
"Good," Astrid grinned, "I would love to meet my future son-in-law."
Vylma snorted at that.
"Also," Astrid began and her grin faded to shame, "I'm sorry for what happened before the war-"
"Stop, I don't want to hear about that now. Can we just… I've already talked to dad and I'm gonna say the same thing to you; I love you, but I need time and I'm sorry for what I did."
Astrid pressed her lips together and nodded. "Okay. I love you too, my little red head."
Vylma couldn't help but smile at that.
The day had come for Magnhild and Temple to leave Berk. She didn't know for how long, she just promised Finn that she would be back some day. On the day when she felt like coming back. Finn had accepted that promise and the siblings said their goodbye until their hello in the future.
The stars shone and the moon was full when Magnhild strapped the last bag on Temple's saddle when she heard the stable door from the house open.
"I thought maybe you wanted this?" Astrid asked and Magnhild turned around. In Astrid's hands lay a fur coat, a fur coat Magnhild knew. It looked just like Magnhild remembered it; It's light colored fur, brown underside, the furry hood and the silver nadders and the hoob to keep it in place."I don't know where you're going but it could be cold anywhere."
Magnhild frowned and tilted her head. "You're really giving me that?" She wasn't feeling ungrateful for being given the coat, but Magnhild didn't want to ruin it for her.
"Yes, you need it more than I do." Astrid answered and put on the fur coat for her.
Magnhild sighed but let her while she untucked her simple braid from underneath the coat.
"Fits perfect on you." Astrid smiled and took a step back.
Magnhild smiled back, waiting for their goodbye.
That was the hardest part. Saying goodbye to everyone, especially her mother who had woken up a month ago and was now feeling so much better. Her right hand was healed but she couldn't write for as long as she could before she broke it. Other than that she was feeling like herself, so she says.
"Have you sent the letter to Vylma?"
"Yes," Magnhild nodded, "She would have already received it by now."
Astrid nodded and pressed her lips together. "Right."
"Mum, I'll be fine." Magnhild assured when she saw the worry on her mother's face.
Astrid took a deep breath and hugged her. "I want you to promise me that but I know that the world out there isn't as wonderful as it seems, but at the same time it is."
"I'll keep myself away from the bad guys, if I can."
"Good." Astrid let go of her and kissed her forehead. "I love you and I want letters from you time to time, just so we know you're okay."
"Yes, I know and I love you too."
The door opened again and now Hiccup came out. "I have one rule about this whole thing; don't come home with a war on your tail. I've done that way too many times."
Magnhild chuckle. "Fine, but I am your daughter so I can't promise that."
Hiccup laughed and now it was his turn to hug her. "I love you and be as safe as you can be."
"Love you too." Magnhild said back to his shoulder.
Magnhild looked between her parents and took a breath before climbing on Temple, ready to fly away from Berk.
"Ready, Temple?" She asked the dragon, who squawked in response and off they went.
Magnhild didn't look back once as they flew off into the night, flying further and further away from the place they had called home for 18 years.