THE GHOST OF WARBOROUGH HALL
"She knew with painful certainty that the opposite of love was not hate, but indifference."
- Susan Wiggs
CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
"That night, Hiccup slept in one of the guest rooms instead of at the servants' quarters. And he slept in the comfort of a bedroom befitting a lord's son every night thereafter, to keep himself as close to her as possible in case she was ready to speak with him again.
"Astrid, meanwhile, often slipped out of the house over the next couple of days to gather her thoughts, often in the company of her Nadder. Her father was not pleased that she often left her guests without saying where she was going. Come to think of it, nobody was pleased at all. Hiccup was the only exception - he was one of the few who were patient with her, for he was the only one who knew why she wanted to be left alone.
"He just hoped that they could share an easy companionship again soon. He hoped she'd see that Harailt was no different to Hiccup – that is, except for the parts where he was the heir of Chisholm House and the entire Haddock estate rather than a lowly blacksmith. But really, other than these... he was still him. He really was not lying when he told her that he was still himdespite all this finery.
"It wasn't until the second eve after his confession when she finally felt ready to speak with him, because even though he had not been truthful with her…
"Well, truth be told… she hadn't been truthful with him either.
"She also did not want to stop being friends with him. Like Hiccup, this summer had been one of her happiest. She had made a lifelong friend in her Nadder – and she would not even have known that dragons existed without him. She was, at least, grateful for that. She was grateful that Hiccup let her into his world, for allowing her to bond with her dragon and teaching her how to train her and…
"She wanted - needed - to thank him for that at least. She owed him that much.
"She landed the Nadder near the lake around midnight, on that fateful, second eve after Hiccup's big reveal. She jumped off her saddle with ease and walking briskly towards the manor while her dragon dipped her head down the water for a drink. She walked back with purpose and with her head held high. She was going to talk to him that night, she thought determinedly. She was going to look for him, and talk to him, and they were going to be fine…
"A sound reached her ears just as she cleared the gardens, and she quickly ducked behind a yew tree, her heart thudding in her chest, afraid that she had been found sneaking about. She could hear hushed voices in the shadows, and she curiously took a peek around the corner to get a better glimpse at who this secret couple was…
"… and nearly gave herself away as she muffled a gasp. She pressed herself closer to the tree, melting into the shadows. She suddenly wished that she had approached the manor from the other side, for the couple was none other than Hiccup… and Heather.
"… you will not go back on your promise, will you, Mr Haddock?Heather had asked.
"You have my word, Miss Woodville, was Hiccup's response.
"Astrid saw Heather's enchanting smile under the light of the moon. I am glad… and Miss Hofferson?
"Hiccup suddenly stiffened. Miss Hofferson? He asked in a guarded voice, and Astrid was pleased to see Heather hesitate.
"Please do not take this the wrong way, Mr Haddock, but I have heard tell that you and Miss Hofferson have… well...She trailed off and dipped her head to one side, anticipating his response to her non-question. When she did not speak again, Hiccup frowned at her impatiently.
"Have what, Miss Woodville?
"She shrugged. That you and Miss Hoffersson have an understanding of sorts. Forgive me, Mr Haddock, but I have heard rumours that you and Miss Hofferson are –
"Are just friends,Hiccup finished for her sternly. He faltered. At least, we were friends. I am no longer sure.
"Heather looked up at him from beneath her lashes, studying him, before she gracefully stepped forward and placed a careful hand upon his arm. May I be so bold as to ask why? When he did not respond, she gently pressed on.Miss Hofferson may not like me - though I do not really know why - but I know that she is a great lady with a very good heart. Whatever you did, I am sure she can forgive you.
"What makes you think I'm the one that needs forgiving?He asked defensively.
"She cocked her head and raised an eyebrow, as if she knew exactlywhy he and Astrid were fighting. And the look that she gave him at that very moment reminded Hiccup so much of the looks that Astrid used to give him that he began to flush. He turned away. She is most definitely a very good person, he said.One of the best and most good-hearted people I have ever known, even though she punches a little too hard for my liking,he added in a mutter before continuing.Yes, we were friends. Great friends, even. Unfortunately Miss Woodville… you're right. I was the one who stuffed it up. His shoulders drooped.She was a great friend but I… I'm afraid, Miss Woodville, that I have not been a very good friend.
"Heather smiled sympathetically. You do not have to tell me what happened if you do not want to. However, I am sure that whatever you did, you did believing it was the best course of action to take. Rarely do we have the gift of foresight, and it is usually too late to amend anything by the time we realise that we have made a bad judgement. What is important is that you take this experience and learn from it, so that you will not make the same mistake again in the future.
"Hiccup looked at her, stunned at her graceful wisdom, then smiled gratefully at her – that same, soft, genuine smile that Astrid loved. You are very wise, Miss Woodville.He murmured. Thank you... for speaking with me. For listening. And for everything.He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles.
"In the shadows, Astrid suddenly felt her chest constrict. Heather and Hiccup's friendship seemed so... effortless. So soft, compared to her and Hiccup's relationship, which was all stubbornness and passion and temper...
"It is nothing,Heather was saying as she and Hiccup began to walk back to the manor. I am glad that I could help in some way. I hope that you and Miss Hofferson mend your broken friendship. I really do. And I hope… I hope that, when the time comes, I too can make you happy…
"Hiccup smiled. Miss Woodville, you already do.
"When they had gone, Astrid began to quickly run back to the side of the manor where her room was and began to climb. She mulled over the conversation that she had just heard. The way that Miss Woodville and Hiccup interacted was slightly odd… it seemed like they were already familiar with each other, intimate even. Could it be…?
"She slipped into her nightdress in the dark and went to bed without unbraiding her hair. Her bright eyes shone in the darkness as she stared sightlessly up the canopy of her bed.
"You will not go back on your promise, will you Mr Haddock? Heather had asked.
"What promise was she referring to?
"You have my word, Hiccup had replied.
"I hope that I, too, can make you happy…
"Miss Woodville, you already do…
"You already do.
"Astrid squeezed her eyes shut. There was suddenly and absolutely no doubt in her mind what this secret couple were referring to.
"There was no doubt in Astrid's mind that Heather Woodville was Hiccup's promised. There was no doubt in Astrid's mind that this was the truth, and that night when he secretly confessed his feelings to her… he did so with the full knowledge that Heather was already to be his adored.
"And it was yet another truth that he had failed to tell Astrid.
"She sighed disappointedly. She whispered a secret name in the darkness, hoping that the Ghost would answer her call, for she would very much like to have had someone she trusted to stay and talk with her.
"The ghost did not come.
"She sank ever deeper in her bed, feeling very lonely and friendless. She did not sleep until a pale blue dawn had already broken the horizon. She wished all night that things would just go the way they were before. She wished that everyone would just leave Warborough Hall. And then, with all her heart, she wished that a day will come when there would no longer be any secrets between her and that insufferable boy…
"Unfortunately for Astrid, the guests stayed longer than originally planned. What should have only been a few days of rest turned into one whole week. The gentlemen did not mind: they were able to go hunting with their peers at their leisure, and the park at Warborough Hall had plenty of game. The ladies did not mind either: the extra week provided them the time to catch up and play matchmaker, made all the more pleasurable with both the Jorgenson and the Haddock heirs in residence.
"Astrid, however, minded. She minded it a lot. Especially since both the Jorgenson and the Haddock heirs were in residence. And, most curiously, she also found it unbearable that Miss Heather Woodville had started to take over Hiccup's full attention now that she was ignoring him.
"Miss Woodville. Oh, that… that clever fox of a woman! Astrid began to like her even less. Miss Woodville was just so… well, she just seemed to take over Hiccup's attention and affection so effortlessly, so artfully, and – dare I say it – so stealthily. She was so disarmingly charming that even Astrid could see why anyone would take to liking her almost as soon as they start speaking to her. Heather was just so beguiling and…
"Astrid blinked, then looked away from the sight of Heather and Hiccup murmuring to each other by the window that fateful morning on the fifth day after his confession (oh yes, Miss Thorston, she had been keeping track of the days). Astrid frowned to herself. Why did she have to feel so… jealous? Heather was absolutely right: Astrid had no reason why she would despise her, besides the fact that Heather was the perfect, shining example of the lady that Astrid was supposed to be, but was not.
"Besides, Astrid thought, she was meant to be feeling furious, not jealous… and why did she care that he was talking to her? He was probably just being polite, being a good little gentleman…
"Or a good little suitor.
"She could hear the nasal tone of his voice from where she was sitting, and she could see the white flash of Heather's smile from the corner of her eyes…
"Did Astrid and Hiccup's friendship look that natural? She asked herself. Did they look as in sync with each other as Hiccup and Heather? Did they interact with each other as easily and as effortlessly? She snorted when she realised that the answer was no. She remembered throwing him against a tree the first time they met. And even after that, their friendship was - even at the best of times - tumultuous. He was far too stubborn and she was far too hot-headed.
"She turned her attention back to the circle of women who she was sitting with, trying desperately to follow the conversation in order to ignore Hiccup and Heather, fighting down the irrational feeling that the lady she least liked was becoming fast friends with the man who she most liked, and who had, incidentally, also just stated his deepest feelings for her...
"No, stop it! She fumed to herself.
"Irrational. She was being so irrational!
"Astrid was so distracted by her thoughts that she nearly jumped out of her skin when Snotlout suddenly greeted her from behind.
"Mr Jorgenson! Astrid exclaimed, and to her annoyance, the older ladies she was seated with began to teeter and smile secretively at each other.
"May we speak? Snotlout said, glancing at the other women. Privately, if we may, he added in a serious tone that Astrid had never heard him use before. Snotlout was usually a Jorgenson through and through – loud, obnoxious, aggressive, boastful. This serious boy before Astrid was so unusual that she acquiesced, intrigued by what he might have to say to her privately, as long as it was not a proposal. She excused herself from the table and took his arm and, as they walked past the window, she saw Hiccup follow them with his eyes. She felt a smug wave wash over her as he looked at them with such intensity that she could feel his gaze boring right through her neck.
"Hiccup, it seemed, could be green-eyed in more than one sense of the word. Perhaps she could take a leaf out of Heather's book and use her charms to her advantage, for it seemed like there was more than one way to punish a Haddock. She pressed herself closer to Mr Jorgenson, and felt an even greater satisfaction when she heard Hiccup make a loud, strangled cry.
"Heather, meanwhile, was futilely trying to get Hiccup's undivided attention once more.
"Snotlout led her to the gazebo in nervous silence. He tried numerous times to engage in small talk on the way there, yet failing each time. When they were finally seated at the table, Astrid thought it best that frank rather than flowery language would help dissipate the anxious air around him. And so she punched him in the arm once they were seated, and he gazed back at her as if she had grown three heads.
"Miss… Miss Hofferson!
"Come now, Snotlout. What is it that you want?
"His mouth hung open for a moment in shock at being addressed by his first name, and then he stammered at her. Miss Hofferson! You must refer to me as Mr Jorgens –
"She punched him again. We're alone, Snotlout. Spit it out.
"He was stunned at her answer for a second, before he grinned devilishly at her. I knew there was a reason why I liked you, Astrid.
"Astrid grinned back at him before she sat back in her chair. So, you wanted to tell me something?
"Snotlout fidgeted for a moment. Y-yes. It's… about you and Hiccup.
"And just like that, Astrid's walls were immediately up. And what about Hiccup and me?
"I know.
"Know what?
"I know, alright? I know what you two are doing.
"Astrid flushed. We are not doing anything-
"Dragon training.
"Astrid choked back the rest of her sentence. She warily looked at him. I beg your pardon?
"Dragon training! Snotlout repeated impatiently. With giant, dragonny dragons. Hiccup rides a Night Fury, and you've bonded with a… what was it again? A Gronkle?
"A Nadder, she corrected him automatically and without thinking, then quietly cursed when she realised that she had just outed herself. Thankfully, Snotlout did not seem to care.
"A Nadder then, Snotlout leaned back in his seat and grinned at her. Congratulations. They're very good dragons. Did you know that they have one of the hottest firepower around?
"Astrid pressed her lips together in a straight line. There was no way getting out of this one, it seemed. Where are you going with this, Snotlout? She asked warily.
"Hmm… maybe I just wanted you to know that I already know your secret.
"But it's not a secret, Astrid bluffed.
"Oh, he laughed boisterously. I am quite sure that it is, Astrid. I of all people would know that this is something you'd want as few people to know as possible. He leaned forward with a challenge behind his eyes. Unless you'd like me to boast it to your guests?
"I'd like to see you try, Astrid hissed at him and leaned forward as well, calling his bluff. Besides, what would you know?
"As a matter of fact, I'd know a lot about these things. I'd know, because I'm a…
"Mr Jorgenson! Miss Hofferson! Pleasant day to be outside, don't you agree?
"Astrid and Snotlout jumped apart and whipped around to find Hiccup striding in their direction. Her face reddened when she realised how close Snotlout's and her face had been, and Hiccup...
"Hiccup.
"Hiccup with his thunderous eyes and false grin.
"Hiccup, who must have misunderstood Astrid's and Snotlout's closeness for…
"Oh dear God.
"Mr Haddock! Astrid gasped
"Miss Hofferson, Hiccup bent his head to her stiffly. May we speak alone?
"No, Snotlout interjected, I believe Miss Hofferson and I were actually speaking privately.
"Snotlout, Astrid began, but at the mention of Mr Jorgenson's name Hiccup interrupted her venomously.
"Oh, so you two are so familiar now as to call each other by your first names, aren't you?
"Oh be quiet Hiccup! Astrid barked, and Snotlout laughed.
"I don't believe this… did you just call my cousin by his nickname?
"Astrid stared at him, shocked. Cousins? Y- you're cousins?
"Distant, they simultaneously responded. Snotlout stood up, and Hiccup squared his shoulders to him. The larger Jorgenson boy eyed him before he laughed, throwing his head back to look at Astrid.
"I can't believe you're friends with hiccupy Hiccup, Astrid.
"Astrid stiffened, but before she could respond, Hiccup cheerily replied with a hint of smugness in his voice. Actually Snotlout, if you must know, Astrid and I are very great friends!
"Hiccup, Astrid warned.
"Oh, of course, how could I forget? Snotlout sniggered. You're indeed friends with Miss Hofferson. In fact, Gobber told us just how close you two have become.
"Hiccup and Astrid froze, then looked at each other. Gobber?! They exclaimed.
"Why yes! Snotlout chuckled. You know that he would never withhold any information from my father… our families are allies after all… and he's such a peabrain that it wasn't hard to get him to start talking once the wine had loosened his tongue.
"Hiccup seethed.
"Snotlout, you elephant-nostrilled, bottom-brained- Astrid began to say shrilly, but Hiccup drowned her out.
"So you know Astrid's training a dragon and I'm helping her out. Big deal. What are you going to do about it? You can't blab on us –
"- I know, Snotlout scoffed.
" – and you can't stop Astrid from training her dragon, now that she's bonded with the Nadder.
"I know that too! Snotlout's eyes twitched in annoyance. Which was why I wanted to talk to Astrid alone. I need to tell her my proposition, so why don't you just go away and suck rocks, Hiccup.
"A proposition? Astrid scornfully interjected before she turned and made to walk away. No thank you.
"No, wait! Astrid, hear me out! Snotlout cried. Wait wait wait! I am proposing to be your teacher!
"Hiccup suddenly laughed uncontrollably, and Astrid shot him a glare.
"Teach her what, 'Lout? He asked between his bursts of laughter. Mr Jorgensen gave him a boastful grin.
"Why, all things related to dragons of course!
"Are you serious? Astrid asked incredulously at the same time as Hiccup said: That role has already been taken, Snotlout. By me.
"Snotlout ignored him and addressed Astrid directly. I have a lot more to teach you than this runt over here. Everyone knows that the Jorgensons have a way with dragons that the Haddocks simply do not have.
"What, Hiccup snorted, Yell commands at your dragons 'til they go deaf?
"We do not shout at our dragons! We bond with our dragons through rough-play, just like the first dragon-riders did all those centuries ago.
"Stop it you two! Astrid interrupted, You're both just acting like children now.
"Hiccup ignored her and pressed on.
"The way to bond with them is through slow and steady friendship, Snotlout. Besides, everyone knows that the Haddocks were the first to ride dragons.
"Mr Jorgenson barked out a laughter. That's a myth, Hiccup, nothing more. Get your head out of the clouds and let's deal with the facts here.
"It's not a myth, Snotlout, it's history. And you want facts? Alright! Fact is, Snotlout, I've always been the better dragon trainer than you.
"Hiccup, just let it go, Astrid hissed.
"Not true! Snotlout exclaimed. I have trained dozens of Monstrous Nightmares and everybody knows that they are the hardest, most stubborn dragons to train.
"Snotlout, Astrid turned to him.
"Except the Jorgensons have always just followed our lead. Your family has always ever been second in command to the Haddock clan.
"Hiccup! Astrid reprimanded him, but there was something in this argument – an age-old rivalry that seemed to go back a dozen lifetimes – that not even she could stop. She rolled her eyes up to the heavens, praying for calm and patience.
"I will prove to you that I am the better dragon trainer, Snotlout growled.
"How? By opening your big mouth?
"We will race!
"Your Nightmare against my Night Fury? Hiccup snorted.
"Yeah. Hookfang versus Toothless. A race to test speed and endurance.
"You're joking right? Hiccup laughed incredulously. I don't even have to race you to know that I'll win!
"Just stop it, you two! Astrid tried one last time, but was ignored once again.
"You can't win, because I'll make sure that I win, Snotlout ground out. You know why? Because the winner gets Astrid.
"I beg your pardon! Astrid bellowed, offended.
"But to Astrid's horror, Hiccup – blinded by a smug desperation to win against his rival and prove to Astrid that he was the better boy of the two – replied with: You have a deal!
"Their words sealed their fates. She turned to Snotlout and swung a capable fist to his nose, effectively breaking it. He roared in pain, and before Hiccup could react, he found himself on the ground as well, his nose spurting blood.
"That was for acting like children, ignoring me, and thinking that I was yours to win! Astrid shouted. She then brought Hiccup back on his feet, only to punch him once more in the stomach. He doubled over and fell to the ground.
"And that was for everything else!
"She surveyed the pair of boys moaning in pain before she turned on her heel… and paused in horrified silence when she came face to face with a crowd of spectators comprising of servants and guests who had all rushed outside to see what all the commotion was about.
"And they had also unfortunately just witnessed what she had done…
"She gasped. Oh, dear god! What had she done?
"Most of the ladies had their mouths covered in shock, though some were gleefully whispering to each other. Astrid looked back at the two boys in alarm, and saw Hiccup glaring back at her defiantly, his eyes betraying a mix of anger, embarrassment, and regret.
"What… did you… punch me for?
"Think hard, Hiccup. Think very, very hard, she hissed. She paused, then added: Besides, I know about Heather. She took in his shocked look, then gallantly lifted her chin and walked back to the house in dignified silence.
"The crowd parted for her as if she was the queen herself... or a madwoman.
"Ast-Astrid! Hiccup wheezed, and a few of the guests gasped at his familiarity. He bit his lip at the mistake. Astrid… he repeated mournfully.
"Haddock, Snotlout coughed next to him.
"What? Hiccup snarled.
"The race… is still… on.
"Hiccup rolled his eyes. No Snotlout, he muttered as he tried to get back on his feet. No it's not.
"The guests all milled about the two boys, asking them what happened, checking that they were both alright, gossiping about how horrible Lord Hofferson's daughter was. Hiccup wanted to shoot down all of their comments, but knew that by doing so he would only be making matters worse for both himself and Astrid.
"And Astrid…
"Oh what has he done?
"He desperately tried to push through the guests and ran after her, his nose bleeding freely and his stomach throbbing painfully. But the last he ever saw of her was the flicker of her blue dress before the house seemed to swallow her up."
Miss Hofferson paused and took a shaky breath, though she was smiling faintly.
"Would you… would you like to take a break?" I asked.
"No Miss Thorston," she replied. "But I would be grateful for some water."
"Of course," I said and stood up. I poured her a glass, helping her drink it before taking my seat once more.
"How did you manage to get out of that rut?" I asked when she did not immediately take up her story again.
"I didn't," she crossed her arms. "Well, not really. The Ghost helped out a little, but I didn't escape the wrath of my father. You see, after that whole debacle, Astrid slipped out the back door, saddled her Nadder, and flew away. She flew far and fast, across land and water, to the south. Away from here, far away… towards her sanctuary."
"You ran away?"
Miss Hofferson winced. "After a fashion. You understand that it was not because she hit Mr Haddock and Mr Jorgenson in front of everybody that Astrid decided to run away. She was more than willing to take the consequences for her actions. What she could not face was the aftermath of his, that betrayal from the boy she thought was her friend, her teacher, and her companion…
"It was this that hurt more than finding out he was that same, irritating, slippery Haddock as that Haddock boy in her youth. And I suppose she was, in this sense, also a coward. Just like Hiccup. She was running away from the issues, because she was frightened. She was frightened of the monster that Hiccup seemed to keep bringing out of her. She was frightened of the harm that she might do… to him. To her. To her heart…
"She could not face him – she did not know how. She was frightened of him, and of herself. But we know that one cannot run away forever – not yet, not now, not ever. And so, when night finally fell, I flew back to Warborough Hall, steeling myself from my father's anger that was sure to come.
"It wasn't until past midnight on the same day when I finally slipped back into Warborough Hall. My father was waiting for me in my room, as if he already knew that I was coming. He did not shout at me, but I could feel his anger radiating from his stony face, and for the first time in my life I was afraid…
"We spoke – or rather, he spoke – while I tried to explain. Get him to see it from my perspective. However, in the end, he gave his verdict: I was to apologise to both Hiccup and Snotlout, and then I was going to apologise to the families. I was going to be in my absolute best behaviour. I was going to clean up this mess.
"And then I was to go to London, and learn to be the proper lady that I should already have been. I was sixteen, I was no longer a child. I was to be eighteen and presented to society in two years. I could no longer act carefree.
"It was not fair, but then again, I had made my decision to return, and so I must also be prepared to suffer the consequences.
"So I took it all in my stride, took the judgement and punishment, but deep down I felt angry and resentful. It was unfair – why must I be disciplined for this? I did not have to take this punishment! But at the same time… my father was right. I made this decision – and it was a decision made because of love – and so it was I who must play this charade, and take the bullet for one of the deepest and most ancient kinds of love known to mankind.
"I took it in my stride. I took it all, swallowed it all. I made sure I let the Ghost know though. I made sure she knew about all the things that I was suffering. I told her everything, because I never kept any secrets from her. We never kept secrets from each other. But in a way, I guess I also told her so that she, too, could feel the pain and anger that I felt. It was a little cruel of me to do so, but at the time I felt wholly justified.
"I cried after my father left my room. But when I had cried my fill, I clad myself once more with indifference and iron will. I tiptoed out into the hallway. I kept to the shadows, went through secret walls and doorways, familiarising myself with this place once more, and when I finally returned to my room, I saw him.
"He was sitting outside Astrid's bedroom, his head leaning against the door, his mouth hanging open as he lightly snored. I saw that his nose did not seem broken at all, though there were the remnants of dried blood still in his nostrils.
"He looked so peaceful there.
"I imagined that he must have knocked at her door and, mistaking the silence of an empty room as the silence of a very angry woman, he must have spoken through the door, hoping that she was listening. He must have tried to explain things to her, must have accepted his mistakes, asked for her pardon… perhaps he even spoke to the door of his feelings, though I was not there to hear it.
"Boys are such silly creatures, I thought, and it was then when I vowed to myself that I would never be so foolish as to give my heart away to a man.
"He awakened the moment my shadow fell upon him and he slowly blinked his eyes open. When he did so, I stepped back into the darkness and silently waited for him to realise that I was there. And when he did, he nearly jumped out of his skin in surprise.
"What the… Astrid! Good God I- you- I nearly had a heart attack!
"Go home, I said coldly, and even in the dark I could tell that he had blanched at my words.
"Astrid, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm…
"You're sorry? I asked incredulously. Liar! If you're really sorry, then why do we feel like we still don't know everything about you? Why do I feel like I'm still going to find out something about you by accident, or when it's already too late, or something about you that would actually kill me? How many times must you say sorry? How many times do we have to forgive you?
"We?
"I clenched my fists. Yes. We. The Hoffersons.
"He bit his lip, and then sighed. I'm… sorry Astrid.
"No. Unfortunately, I could not accept his apology. Not me.
"Astrid… His voice cracked. Please… I… His eyes were wild and pleading, and I nearly took pity.
"Nearly. But I could not accept his apology. Not me. Not me.
"Go home, I repeated, and I turned my back and dissolved back to the shadows, through the walls, through the very manor itself.
"And if he said anything more, if he had followed me, I cannot know.
"The following day, I did everything that my father told me. I apologised to both boys in front of everybody with a cold sincerity that seemed to terrify Hiccup more than anything. I apologised to their fathers, to the guests, to everyone under the sun.
"And then our guests left with more gossip than they could hold in their mouths.
"Hiccup stayed here a few more weeks, once more as a blacksmith, though he now slept in one of our guestrooms as the servants no longer knew how to act around him. He tried to talk to me during the first week when the house was ours once again, but soon my stony civility and absolute distrust discouraged him from trying to patch up our friendship. I needed him out of my hair, anyway. For if he knew that my dragon was…
"No, he must not know. I had to be careful: I could not allow him to know.
"He never really gave up – he still cast hopeful glances in my direction. However, he no longer knew how to act around this new Astrid. It was as if she was a different lady, and it hurt him to know that he was the cause of this change.
"Gobber and Hiccup only stayed back the extra few weeks to wrap up their blacksmithing duties. And when their projects were done, they packed up and left. I was not at home the day they left – I was out flying, enjoying my last few moments of freedom before I was to be carted off to London. But upon my return, as I was climbing up the wall to the bedroom, I found a letter wedged upon the windowsill. It was a letter from Hiccup, a letter of farewell, of apology, of hope and friendship and everything else that he could not voice to me, for I would not let him.
"Hanging from the window handle was a clockwork toy in the shape of a dragon that he had fashioned himself - no doubt hastily forged just before the fires of the smithy were completely extinguished, though the genius of his mind still shone in this simple piece. A parting gift, he wrote, For the friend who will always be in my heart, though I may no longer be in hers.
"He left the letter and the gift there, and then he left Warborough Hall.
"I would not see him again until I was eighteen."
I blinked, trying to get my bearings once more when I realised that Miss Hofferson had stopped speaking. When my eyes finally focused, I saw that Miss Hofferson was holding out a tiny, bronze object to me. I reached out and took it.
"His parting gift," Miss Hofferson smiled. "It is yours now."
I turned the toy in my hands. It was a dragon alright, with a tiny gear near the top that, when winded, allowed the wings to swiftly flap up and down, causing the toy to jump around in my palms. It was cute. I grinned and raised my eyes back up to gaze at Miss Hofferson, turning the object over in my palms.
"What kind of dragon is it?"
"That, my dear, is a nanodragon."
I hummed as I ran a thumb over the delicately beaten metal, and then remembered something that did not quite make sense in her story…
She still ignored Hiccup after the guests left, but she made it clear that it was not because she was still angry with him, but because she distrusted him. She wanted him out of her hair because she didn't want him to find out that her dragon was…
Was what? That her dragon was what? I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
"What was wrong with your dragon, Miss Hofferson?" I ventured.
Astrid grimaced, immediately catching on to the part in her story that I was referring to. "Nothing."
I persevered. "You said you didn't want him finding out that you dragon was… something. What was it that you did not want Hiccup to find out?"
She picked at her quilt, clearly uncomfortable at my question. "My father," she murmured, "He knew about the Nadder, mentioned it during our talk the night I returned home. He knew all about the dragons, my dragon, our dragons, our training sessions."
"How? How did he know?"
She shrugged. "To be perfectly honest, Miss Thorston: I do not know. Perhaps Gobber told him. Perhaps Hiccup did. Or perhaps his infamous Hofferson pragmatism finally dissolved, and… perhaps, my father finally learned to see dragons. He, after all, had a daughter who had bonded with a Nadder. He had lived all his adult life in a household that was bursting with imagination and ghosts. Although at his age he… well, perhaps he also saw the implications of freely admitting to others that he had the ability to see dragons. Whatever the reason, the fact remained that he knew. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you how."
I frowned. "So why didn't you just tell Hiccup that your father knew?" I asked. "Seems pretty harmless – Hiccup already sees dragons after all."
She merely shrugged. "I believe that is enough for today," she said evasively and dismissed me by ringing her bell. "We shall continue again tomorrow. Good evening, Miss Thorston."
Evening? I glanced outside the window and was surprised to see that night had indeed already completely fallen. I had not even realised that the golden afternoon had already given way to the inky blackness of the early winter's eve!
Lisa entered the room and smiled at me once more, which I returned this time round. Not wanting to cause another scene, I took my leave and slowly walked back to my bedroom. Once there, I dumped my belongings on my writing table and looked out of my window as I absentmindedly fiddled with the puzzle.
There was something in the recent turn of events that didn't add up. And I knew that the answer was so frustratingly and tantalisingly close that I only had to reach out and I would be able to grasp it.
The story seemed straightforward enough, sure. I mean, all I had to do was follow her voice blindly, follow the story blindly, and I would reach the end of her maze without a problem. I had absolutely no doubt that she would tell me the story of Astrid Hofferson to the very end. But I also knew Miss Hofferson enough to know that she was leading me through a labyrinth more complicated than I originally imagined, and that I alone must find the red string that she had left behind for me if I wanted to see the truth behind the truth.
Miss Hofferson was all smoke and mirrors.
So what was it that I could not see? What was it that I could not comprehend?
"They are here, as star and sky," the ghostly mantra rang through my head once more.
Who? Who was the red string that I kept failing to follow?
I kept staring with unseeing eyes outside as the fog descended upon the grounds. I fancied seeing two, long, graceful necks bobbing in and out of the fog… sometimes solid, sometimes not. I fancied seeing one of the necks dipping out of sight, while the other one stretched up to look at the sky.
I opened my window and leaned out, squinting in the darkness. "Zippleback," I tentatively whispered. The two heads seemed to stop, seemed to turn their heads towards me, seemed to begin walking in my direction…
And then the fog swallowed them up from sight, and though I kept staring for another quarter of hour, they did not emerge again from the swirling curtain upon the grounds.
They had turned to fog once more.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Oh dear! What has Astrid done? D:
As always, your reviews give me the greatest joy (and really do keep me in line with regards to frequency and quality of the chapters)! There have been a few readers who have already figured out the answers to some of these questions, and to you guys I only have two words: high five!
PS: I'm currently trying to flesh out another fic - it'll be shorter than this one, but it's something that's been begging to be written ever since I heard this particular song by Kyla la Grange. It'll be AU, with blood and war and fangs and guns and gadgets and, of course, lots of leather...
Ferdoos: Thanks :) sorry, no Hiccstrid in this chapter either.
InfinitiumAce: Oh gosh, thank you so much! I feel so honoured that you think so highly of this fic *melts* I don't know if my fic is good enough, but I agree that there are so many fics out there that need to be published into full-blown novels. A couple in HTTYD easily come to mind…
And yes, I'm also hoping that certain scenes won't pan out to cliché territory. I'm hoping that I don't stuff up the unravelling of all the mysteries, although I can't really promise that certain events won't be predictable, especially if you already know the answer to the questions by that time!
FuyukoYoshidaKat: All very good questions! Most will be answered in due time, although I did add the "zippleback in the fog" scene at the end of this chapter to sort of answer one of your questions ;)
Cat Eyed Blunder: Haha thanks :) sorry about the wait!
NEXT CHAPTER: In which Hiccup's character returns to the story once more. Well, this arc is titled "Courtship" for a reason :)