Hi, everyone! I'm back. I know it's been…uh…two months, but…welcome to arc 4! Not much to say. I don't want to give too much away. Well, actually I guess…I'll say that if I were to envision this story and plot it on a diagram, I'd say we are approaching the halfway point. In arc 5, we will hit the ultimate climax, so I guess this arc is still going to be buildup. Hope that doesn't deter anyone from reading!

Review Replies:

Noctus Fury (anonymous): I had a great birthday (had to think back a little since it's been a few months now). I think, judging by your last review, you're on to something. This will all definitely play a part throughout arcs 4 and 5!

RiseOfADragon: I'm glad that you're enjoying the story! I will admit that at some points during the earlier arcs I was feeling burnt out with the plot and it showed. However, I'm pretty excited for arcs 5 and 6. Arc 4 will be pretty good, but definitely some pretty cool stuff coming up!

Commander Chandell 919: Man, you're right. It has been almost three years since I started writing "Wheel". I had no idea. It doesn't feel that long! Thanks. I will admit that I started to kind of get burnt out (as I mentioned in the above review) but I took a few steps away and I feel that choice has helped this story. I know it's been almost a month, but hopefully the wait wasn't too long.


~Begin Arc 4~

Chapter 38: Unexpected Dinner Guests

"Astrid, don't you understand? You can't just continue to wait for a boy that will never return."

They claim they understand, but then they try to force me to find a man to spend the rest of my life with? That's not understanding. That's… Astrid was so angry with her parents. Maybe they could just move on, but how could they expect her to just sit back and assume Hiccup dead? "I am confident that Hiccup will return, though. I just know that he's not dead…regardless of what everyone else happens to think!"

"It has been almost a year and a half, Astrid. No Viking could survive that long if they are lost out there in the vast world."

"Maybe he found food and shelter. I mean, come on, this is Hiccup! He's not your typical Viking and you know it!"

Angered, Astrid made her way to the front door. "I don't want to discuss this anymore. I've made my decision and I won't change my mind!" Slamming the door on her way out, Astrid whistled for Stormfly who appeared above her in less than a minute.

Stormfly touched down on the ground and Astrid wasted no time in positioning herself into the saddle on her Nadder's back. Astrid knew that her dragon could sense her anger. "I'm okay, girl," Astrid told her dragon, feeling herself calm as she sat on Stormfly's back. "Let's go search again."

Astrid could almost feel Stormfly sigh in exhaustion. In fact, Astrid could practically hear Stormfly's thoughts. If the dragon could talk, the Nadder would probably say something like, "Astrid, we've searched a thousand times. Why would this time be any different?"

"We can't just give up. We have to find Hiccup. If we don't…" Astrid thought back to the conversation that she had just walked away from. "Trust me, I don't want to think about it. Let's go."

Stormfly, knowing her rider all too well, took to the skies. The pair searched for hours, until the sun was making its way down to dip below the horizon and plunge the world into its nightly darkness. As always, their search turned up no clues as to Hiccup's whereabouts and no clues to whether he was actually alive or dead.

Knowing that they could not continue their search after dark, Astrid reluctantly suggested to Stormfly to head back to Berk. "I don't really want to go back yet," Astrid admitted to her dragon, "but it's too dangerous to search at night. Gods, I just wish there was some way to fly out and search further. I just feel like we've only scratched the surface…that we're just continuing to search all the same places. The only way to extend our search though would be to take a several-days length journey out in the direction that Hiccup was traveling. That will never happen, though. I'd need the Chief's approval and Stoick's given up; he'd never grant me privilege to take that trip."

Astrid balled her hands into tight fists and let her frustrations out in a loud scream that echoed out over the dark water. Stormfly jumped slightly at the sound and Astrid felt the slight shift. With a sigh, Astrid ran a hand along Stormfly's blue scales. "Sorry, girl. I'm just so frustrated with everything. The Gods. Chief Stoick. Hiccup. Berk. It's all so…" she trailed off, finishing her statement with a growl of aggravation. "Well, I guess we'll just go home and it'll just be another day with no clues and no answers."

888

Stormfly touched down in front of the stable near Astrid's home and the young shieldmaiden dismounted and walked beside her Nadder. Together, they walked into the stable and Astrid filled Stormfly's food barrel. "There you go, Girl." Checking Stormfly's water barrel, Astrid promised herself that she would fill it again tomorrow; she did not feel like walking all the way to the well and carting the heavy bucket of water back when it was already starting to get dark outside. "See you tomorrow, Stormfly."

Astrid carefully walked the short distance to her home. Through one of the windows, Astrid could see the dancing shadows on the wall. Her parents were home and their shadows were reflected onto the wall by the candlelight. Looking closer, though, Astrid noticed something strange. Is there more than two shadows? I didn't know we were having guests tonight.

Stepping through the door, Astrid instantly scowled as her eyes took in the sight before her. What are they doing here?! Her gaze swept over each of the "guests" one-at-a-time. Spitelout Jorgenson. His wife—Snotlout's mother—whose name Astrid could never remember, and Snotlout. Okay, seriously, why are Snotlout and his parents here…in my house?

"Astrid, where have you been? We've been waiting for you," her mother greeted her. The older Hofferson woman's voice held an almost-scolding tone and Astrid grimaced slightly.

"I was out flying with Stormfly. You know, like I always do," Astrid answered, her voice taking on an accusing tone as if her parents should know that this was a part of her daily routine. "Then, when I arrived back home, I had to make sure Stormfly was fed and comfortable for the night over in her stable."

"Ingrid, it's fine," Astrid's father stepped forward now. "Astrid's here now and that's what matters. Why don't we all take a seat at the table and have some dinner?" he suggested, but something in his tone told Astrid that it wasn't much of a choice.

"You all make yourselves comfortable," Astrid's mother spoke, addressing both her family and her guests. "I'll bring in the food and we can have ourselves a nice dinner."

Astrid took her usual seat at the table. All the while, she kept a glare trained on Snotlout. For once, his expression had lost its usual confidence. In fact, he seemed almost…nervous. What? Snotlout nervous? Now Astrid knew something was definitely up and she was going to find out what.

Ingrid Hofferson first brought out a tray upon which sat six glasses filled with fresh yak milk. Everyone at the table grabbed a glass and set it down at their place. Then, from the fireplace, Ingrid ladled out bowls of hot stew and returned them to the table.

After giving her thanks to Odin for her meal, Astrid slowly took a few sips of her stew. Stew was a meal that was common for Hofferson family dinners, so Astrid had grown accustomed to the flavors her mother often used to spice up her stews. That was the first clue that something was most definitely up; the stew tonight tasted much better than usual. Astrid could tell that he mother had added extra spices, ones that she seemed to reserve only for special occasions. Okay, what is this all about?

As it turned out, Astrid did not have to wait long for an answer. Once all were settled around the dinner table and enjoying their stew and fresh yak milk, Astrid's father spoke. "Now that we're all gathered here, I want to thank you and your family for accepting our invitation to dinner, Spitelout."

Astrid shot a glare over at her father. Our invitation? I had nothing to do with this. I did not even know about this.

"The pleasure is all ours," Spitelout answered and Astrid was taken aback by the politeness he showed.

"So, the real reason that the Jorgenson family has joined us for dinner tonight," Astrid's father continued. "Spitelout and I have been talking with each other and we've come to a decision."

Wait…wait…a decision? About what? Astrid wondered. Something just tells me that I'm not going to like what I'm about to hear.

"Our daughter, Astrid, is well old enough to be married. However, with the death of Hiccup, I, along with my wife, have noticed her reluctance to move on and find someone new. I have been in contact with Spitelout and we have discussed this matter and we have come to decide that it would just be best to arrange a marriage. Therefore, we, along with the Jorgensons, are pleased to announce the upcoming arranged marriage between Snotlout Jorgenson and Astrid Hofferson."

Wait, what?!


I can already feel the hate…but think of the position that Astrid's parents are in. They believe Hiccup is gone for good and yet they see their daughter fixated on waiting for someone that is not going to return. Did I mention that this Arc 4 is going to be the tension arc? Like, seriously, there's tension for Astrid back on Berk and there will be tension with Hiccup too…but more on that next chapter!

Thank you all for reading and supporting Wheel in the Sky!

Posted: May 9, 2016