Here's chapter 3, I hope you guys like it. Thank you for your reviews!
"She hasn't talked to anyone since our departure" Ruffnut muttered.
She and the others were looking at Astrid. She was sat on a box, her intense gaze fixed on the sea.
Fishlegs sighed "What do you expect, Ruff?" he said "Her life had been ruined forever"
Even Snotlout who had once had crush on her looked really worried about her silent and compliant behavior.
Hiccup was pacing back and forth on the opposite side of the ship, occasionally glancing at Astrid's still figure.
"Those two can't be apart" Tuffnut reasoned, then he smirked "I think there will be lots of trouble"
"Nervous?" Stoick asked Hiccup as they neared the coast.
The boy looked up. He was still mad at him for what he had done and wasn't exactly in the mood of being comfoted by him. He just glared at his father and stormed off.
He found his fiancee - or ex-fiancee - on the deck.
"Hey" he greeted placing a hand on the small of her back.
She flinched and moved away from him "I told you you'll just make things worse" she reminded him, her face straight.
He rolled his eyes "Well, knowing me, you really think I'll give up so easily on you? On us?"
She grimaced and just then men yelled "We're docking!"
Hiccup shook his head and went to his father.
"It will be okay"
Astrid turned to see the gang smiling at her with affection. She couldn't help but smile back "Thank you, guys" she said.
She still didn't get why Stoick had wanted the five of them to come along. What was the use of it? They were absolutely useless in that contest. They were warriors, not people used to live in a castle, even if for a little amount of time.
From the corner of her eye she saw Hiccup looking at her but she ignored it.
The ship stopped. On the dock stood a family, and behind them lots of villagers.
The king looked a lot like Stoick with his red beard and big body. The queen was a beautiful woman, she had long brown hair tied in a braid. Her eyes were calm and they denoteted a big intelligence.
Next to her stood three teenagers. They all looked alike, with curly red hair and sheepish smiles on their faces. Astrid thought they would have gotten along with the twins.
And last stood the princess. She was tall. Her frizzy red hair were tied up in a complicated bun. She wore a blue silk dress that made her light blue eyes stand out.
Astrid couldn't help but compare her to herself. She wore simple clothes, viking style, her hair was much less beautiful than the princess' and she certaintly didn't have such an elegant posture like hers.
It wouldn't have been long before Hiccup fell in love with her and forget Berk and his life there.
She shook her head. She was a fighter. When had she become such a weak girl? She could perfectly live without a man in her life.
"Stoick!" the king exclaimed when they got off the ship.
He went to the chief and patted his shoulder "Fergus" the other greeted with a smile "It's been a long time"
King Fergus nodded "Finally at peace, uh?"
"Definetely" Stoick turned and beckoned Hiccup over.
He had a bright smile on his face but Astrid knew it was fake. She had seen his real smile and it was really different. This smile didn't reach his green eyes.
He bowed and Fergus smiled "A very handsome lass, Stoick" he said.
Hiccup blushed.
"This is my wife, Elinor. My three troublemakers, Harris, Hamish and Hubert and my daughter, Merida"
The princess stepped forward with a smile and bowed "It's a pleasure"
"The pleasure is all mine", Hiccup took her hand gently and placed a kiss on it. Merida's cheeks reddened a bit.
Astrid felt a pang in her chest. For a moment she forgot how to breath and she tightened the grip around her axe.
Stoick smiled "These are my best warriors" he said proudly "My nephew Snotlout Jorgenson, the twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston, Fishlegs Ingerman and last, but certaintly not least, Astrid Hofferson"
They bowed and when she looked up, Astrid saw the queen looking at her with an intense gaze.
"Well, let's go inside" Fergus said.
Hiccup offered his arm to the princess and she took it with a smile.
Astrid walked behind them with her friends. She watched them talk with ease and she had to restrain herself from screaming to the royals how they had ruined her life.
"Stay calm" Ruffnut whispered in her ear.
"I am calm" she hissed.
When they entered the dining room it was full of candles and the long table was full of plates and different kinds of food.
They took seats and Astrid was surprised to know that she and the others were allowed to sit with them. She had expected to be treated like some sort of slave, a simple soldier.
Stoick wanted her beside him so she was exactly in front of Hiccup.
She tried not to look at him for too long even if she noticed he would often steal a glance in her direction.
"So, Hiccup" Elinor said at one point "We heard you have a dragon"
"A DRAGON?!" the triplets shouted.
"Boys, low your voice" the queen scolded them.
Hiccup smiled timidly "Yes, my queen. He and the other dragons will arrive here in two days"
"Really?" Merida asked with a bright smile.
He nodded "Mine is called Toothless. Then there's Hookfang who's Snotlout's, Barf and Belch who belong to the twins, Meatlug who's Fishlegs' and Stormfly who's Astrid's dragon. I'm sure you'll love them"
Merida seemed beyond herself at the thought of seeing a dragon.
Astrid played with her food but not really eating it seeing as she felt a whole in her stomach.
Stoick glanced down at her and frowned "You have to eat something" he scolded her in a low tone so that no one heard him.
All of her anger towards him melted when she looked at his worried expression.
"I'm not hungry" she mumbled.
Stoick sighed "You really are stubborn"
She scrolled her shoulders and glanced up. Hiccup's gaze was concerned and she instantly looked away.
"So" Elinor spoke up "You two girls have a husband at home, I suppose"
Hiccup almost chocked on his food at the sentence but Astrid stayed calm.
She put on a polite smile "No, your Majesty. Or uh, Ruffnut is engaged to Snotlout but... I don't have a husband"
The queen raised an eyebrow "Strange, for a beautiful viking woman like you to not be married already"
Astrid pursed her lips "No one... has proposed to me... yet"
Hiccup had a sad expression and she saw Merida looking at the two of them with a frown.
"Well, maybe you'll find an handsome boy here in Scotland" Fergus told her with a wink.
She smiled a bit at the king "Maybe"
"Beautiful night"
Astrid turned. Hiccup was standing there on the balcony and she couldn't help but smile at the sight of him in the moonlight.
"Aren't you supposed to be with your princess?" she said.
He shrugged approaching her "She went to her room with her mother" he said "And YOU are my princess"
He grabbed her waist and pulled her closer "My viking princess"
"Hiccup..." she murmured as warning but then his lips were on hers and she couldn't find the strenght to push him away.
Or maybe she didn't want to.
She knotted her hands in his hair, running her fingers on the little braids she had made.
He embrced her tightly, lifting her from the ground.
When they pulled away the were both red.
"Seeing you with her just made it worse" she whispered "I thought I was on the verge of killing someone out of jealousy"
He chuckled and leaned in "That would have been so Astrid-like"
He kissed her neck softly and she closed her eyes to keep tears from falling.
He kissed her face and then leaned his forehead on hers.
"Please tell me this is a dream" he pleaded "Tell me that tomorrow I'll wake up and we'll be on Berk, ready for our morning flight"
She touched his nose "I can't lie to you, Hic"
He kissed her one last time "I know. I love you" he said.
"I love you too"
She smiled sadly as he made his way back inside.
When he was out of sight she plopped on the ground, her back against the railing, and closed her eyes.
Stoick found her there asleep an hour later.
He picked her up and carried her to the room they had assigned her.
He gently placed her under the covers and looked at her sleeping form. It was almost aching to see her like that. Even as she slept, her borws were furrowed and her lips pressed in a thin line. As if sadness and concern followed her even in her dreams.
"Goodnight, Astrid" he whispered before turning and closing the door behind him.
I hope I didn't disappoint anyone with the way I introduced some characters.
As always, let me know what you think of the chapter and REVIEW!
-Clary Chase