Oh gods guys I'm so so sorry!

I've been such a bad writer in these past months but I haven't had a lot of time to write because of school!

Hope you all can forgive me!

Anyway I'm so grateful most of you kept on reviewing and sending me messages asking to update, it made me really really happy!

Here you go with chapter 14, I hope it is somehow worth the long wait!

As always, let me know what you think of it in a review ;))

xoxo

- Clary Chase

"It would be better if you didn't do this"

"I have to" Astrid insisted making herself more comfortable on the saddle.

Valka's expression was hard, her jaw clenched and her thick eyebrows furrowed together.

"You don't have to" she snapped "But of course I can't stop you"

She jumped on Cloudjumper with an ease that still left her speechless and stuck her long staff in the weird saddle.

Then she turned to look at her.

"It's going to be dangerous"

"I know"

"If something happens, I want you to escape"

"You can't make me, you know that, right?"

Big green eyes stared down at her, serious but still full of fondness and love.

"I could never keep on living if something happened to you and I knew it's because of me"

"Nothing will happen to me"

"You can't know that"

"Come on, Hiccup! It's not the first tie we do something reckless"

"This is different"

"How so?2

"Look-"

"-strid? Astrid!"

Astrid blinked stupidly and stared in front of her.

Valka had her eyebrows furrowed "Maybe you're not in the mental condition to come"

"I'm not arguing anymore" she snapped turning her head "I'm coming along. End of the story"

And so it was. They flew in silence for what felt like hours, the dragons' wings moving the wind as the only background sound.

When they finally reached the place where Astrid had first encountered the dragon-trappers, it was dark.

"Why isn't anyone on the deck?" Astrid whispered.

"They probably didn't expect you to come back" Valka murmured back "Drago's men aren't exactly known for their intelligence"

It didn't take long for them to find the part of the boat where they held the dragons.

Valka hissed as if she was in physical pain looking at the tiny cells where the creatures were moving frantically.

With Cloudjumper's claws help they easily opened the cages without making any noise.

The dragons instantly flew away, maybe towards the Bewilderbeast's nest.

Valka looked happier than ever.

"I'm gonna check that side of the boat okay?" Astrid told her.

Before the woman could reply, she was crouching away.

The dark had never been a problem for her and she moved with easy beetween the wooden boxes.

She had just turned a corner and saw a big cage with a Hubblegrunt in it when two big arms grabbed her in a not so gentle way and pulled her to someone's chest.

She was about to scream but she felt a hand on her mouth.

"I wouldn't scream if I were you" a familiar voice whispered dangerously close to the nape of her neck.

She bit down on the scarred skin and Eret pulled his hand aeay but held her more tightly.

"What do you want from me?" she hissed.

She heard him snort.

"You're a fierce girl, I see. I like fierce girls you know?"

"Too bad I'm already taken"

"No you're not" he said "No taken girl would fly like this at this hour"

She felt lips against her throat and shivered.

She tried to move but he didn't let her.

From the corner of her eye she saw Valka in a corner inspecting the cage.

She could never free the dragon seeing Eret's position.

Astrid bit down her disgust for what she was about to do and turned her head.

Eret's dark eyes were watching hers, their noses touching and their lips inches apart.

She could feel his hot breath on her face.

"You know what?" she said batting her eyelashes seductively "You're right. I have no one. And by the way, my name's Astrid"

Then she shoved him against a wall and kissed him.

Her lips tingled, feeling the difference fron the only other lips they had ever kissed.

Eret made throaty sound that almost made her puke in his mouth but she held her cover.

He tangled his fingers in her hair and undid her braid, deepening the kiss.

Peaking one eye open, she saw Valka and Cloudjumper.

Eret moved his chapped lips to her neck and she fakes a moan to cover the sound of the cage opening and the Hubblegrunt flying away.

Astrid saw her opportunity.

She brought Eret down and kicked him in his neather regions.

"What the-" he croaked falling to his feet.

She lowered to his gaze and smirked "Just to make you feel a little better" she said "You're a very good kisser"

He barely had the time to look up at her that Toothless was smaking his tailfin on his head.

Eret collapsed to the floor with a loud tank.

"We better go before the others wake up" Valka was suddenly at her side.

"Are the dragons all free?" she asked.

The woman nooded.

"Okay then"

They took fly just seconds before the other sailors came rushing on the deck screaming Eret's name.

Astrid instantly knew something was up when she arrived at the castle.

There were carriages in the courtyard and all the candles in the hallways had been lit up.

A delicious scent filled the air and loud voices came from the dining room that radiated happiness and heat.

Strangely no guard was around so she peaked one eye inside.

She swiftly pulled back and slapped a hand on her forehead.

She had been so caught up in the preparations for the rescue that she had completey forgotten the lords were supposed to arrive today.

For a moment she pondered on going in despite her being late, but a quick look at her reflex in a window made her change her mind very quickly.

Her clothes were dirty and her skirt was ripped. Her hair was down and she still could feel the ghost of Eret's lips on her neck.

Chasing back the tears of bitterness that were trying so desperately to fall, she picked up her axe and ran to her room.

As soon as the door was closed behind her she shrugged out of her clothes and threw them in a corner like they were garbage.

The cold air slapped her body and she shivered.

She lit up the candles and made her way to the toilet.

The bathub looked so appealing and after filling it with hot water she slipped inside.

Astrid let her head rest against the wall and closed her eyes.

She kept repeating herself she had kissed and gave in to Eret just to help Valka save that dragon, but a tiny evil part of her brain was screaming she had done it to have some sort of sick revenge on Hiccup whow, right now, was with another woman.

But she would have never done that.

Or would she?

Was she going completely insane?

She let her tears fall and salt the water she was flowing into, trying to get rid of all the anger, embrassment and sadness.

When she was tired out from her crying she dried herself and slipped in her nightgown.

It was really late when the door opened and she heard those familiar steps, the prosthetic clicking loudly on the ground.

The matress lowered as Hiccup sat next to her and took her cold hand in his.

She couldm't help it. She pretended to sleep.

Hiccup sighed, probably disappointed by finding her already asleep.

Astrid felt all the shame for wanting a revenge on him for something that wasn't under his control weigh on her chest.

She felt his fingertips trace the lines of her face in such a gentle way that she almost betryed herself and flew in his arms.

He ducked and kissed her forehead, then her eyelids, then her cheek and finally her mouth.

He squeezed her hand once more and left the room with a barely whispered "Goodnight, my love"

When she was sure he was far away she hid her face in the pillow and started crying again.

The next morning she woke up very early.

When she arrived in the dining room only the royal family and Stoick were there.

"Astrid!" Merida exclaimed, her face lighting up.

Elinor scowled at her daughter. After two weeks she had still not understood what had drwn the two girls so close.

And whatever reason it was, she didn't seem to appreciate it.

"Are you okay, Astrid?" Stoick asked worriedly.

She was about to reply when the Queen spoke up "Have a sit" she said in her cold tone.

Astrid did so and sat down next to Merida who gave her a warm look.

"Would you mind telling us why you weren't here yesterday when the clans arrived?" Elinor asked.

She couldn't afford more hostility with the Queen so she played the regret card.

"I'm so sorry, your Highness. I just wasn't feeling really well and had to take some fresh air. When I remebered the clans were supposed to arrive it was too late so I decided not to show up at dinner late and embrass you all"

She almost smiled in victory watching Elinor's expression turning from one of scolding to one of delightful surprise.

It was clear she didn't expect her to be so polite to her after everything that had happened beetween the two of them.

"Oh... uhm... okay" she said, stunned "I just hope it won't be too weird to introduce you to the lords"

It wasn't weird.

It probably would have been if the lords and their respective sons and wives weren't so strange, but they were all kinda crazy so it was no big deal.

Astrid felt Hiccup's eyes on her the whole breakfast time, but didn't look at him one time, too ashamed for pretending to be asleep the night before just to not talk to him.

When the meal was over everyone went to their rooms for the morning routine and Astrid found herslf cornered against her door.

"I came to your room last night" Hiccup told her, his lips brushing against his.

Now that her senseless shame had somehow gone away she felt the need to have him close to her once again.

"Really?" she said pecking his lips "I was asleep. Maybe I can make it up to you now. Why don't you come inside for a while?"

She smirked at him and he blushed "I'd like to but..."

She pouted "But what?"

He looked over his shoulder "You know what? I don't have the meeting with the lords for another two hours. I guess you can make it up to me"

He pushed her inside the room and kissed her with passion.

Astrid melted in his arms, her heart racing as she recognised his soft lips and the tender press of his fingers on her hips.

"What were you doing yesterday anyway?" he asked undoing her braid.

"Mhmh not gonna tell you" she grinned removing his shirt.

"But-"

"Shh... less talking, more letting me make it up to you"

"As you wish, milady"

"Are you gonna throw it or not?" Astrid laughed.

Merida glared at her, swinging the axe in a dangerous way "Don't rush me!" she yelled, the red of her face almost matching the one of her hair.

Beside her, Ruffnut whimpered "Woah there, princess! Be careful with that axe"

"Don't call me princess, Ruff" the girl hissed.

Astrid smiled.

She was glad the two girls had made friends, they had been a great support in the past two weeks. And it was good having them as allies.

The men were having a meeting so to escape her mother's sewing lessons, Merida had asked the two Vikings to teach her axe throwing in the woods.

"Why can I shoot arrows like nothing but can't hold an axe? Why can't I be good like you?!" Merida snapped.

"The axe is much heavier than a bow" Astrid explained "Besides, we've been throwing axes since we were born"

"Why could't I have been born a Viking?"

"Astrid is probably asking herself the same thing, you know?" Ruff snorted.

Astrid scowled at her but Merida didn't even hear her as she threw the axe.

"I DID IT!" she squealed.

"Good, Merida"

Astrid jumped up at sound of the Queen's voice.

"Mother?" Merida asked baffled "W-what are you doing here?"

"You quit your sewing lesson"

"I know this. I mean... you never followed me"

"That's because you've never been about to become Queen"

Elinor shot Astrid and Ruffnut a flat look like they weren't even there with her daughter, then turned to the princess.

"Let's go"

Astrid saw Merida balling her hands into fists and clench her jaw.

She knew she had no other option, so she picked up her gown and looked at the girls "Thank you" she simply said.

"I don't want you to learn axe throwing, Merida" they heard the Queen scold her as they disappeared in the woods.

The response was a very unlady-like groan "Mother, please"