Howdy folks! Shameless apology time, I know I hate me too, I was going to use my month long winter break from school as a time to write but just at the last second, I got cast in a show (as the lead :D) and most of my break has been devoted to that. I've also started school again and all of my classes are theatre-related so they're definitely keeping me very busy. But good news, I have the rest of the story mapped out and finalized so all I have left to do is stop being lazy and actually write something. Thanks for sticking with me this long. 3
*(Ps, I just finished season 2 of the Netflix series and got some inspiration so be on the lookout for a guest star in this chapter. :D)*
Chapter 9:
"Just when all hope was lost… woosh! In comes the dragon cavalry to save the day!" Snotlout, who was just reaching the climax of his epic retelling of the Red Death fight, dramatically threw his arms out in a grand fashion, an action which caused a group of young vikings-in-training to widen their eyes and let out involuntary "ooo's."
"And your friendly neighborhood hero over here was a part of that. That's right kids, I, Snotlout the Great, singlehandedly...helped… to bring down the big, the bad, and the ugly Red Death."
"But Mr. Snotlout." A nasally voiced piped up.
"Uh-ah-ah, Mr. Snotlout, a-the Great."
"I thought Hiccup did it."
"Yeah." A young female voice replied.
"Well, he was the one who killed it but it was really me who took it down."
"Mr. Great, did Hiccup die?" Yet another child spoke up.
"Almost, but it was my cunning skills that really saved his life at the end of the day."
"How?"
"With these babies." He flexed his biceps and kissed them both, the action eliciting laughs and smiles from the group.
"Snotlout, I have a question." A much older voice broke through.
"Wow, kid, when did you hit puberty?" Snotlout asked, looking around at the kids in front of him to find the source of the voice.
"When I was about eleven." It replied. Snotlout turned around and his eyes met with those of Eret.
"Eret," He scoffed. "Run along young ones. Hey, hey, before you go, remember that good-luck chant I told you?" All the kids eagerly nodded their heads and ran off, loudly yelling "Snotlout, Snotlout, oy oy oy!" at various pitches and tempos.
"Way to infect the youth of tomorrow." Eret said, taking a seat on the bench next to Snotlout.
"Hey, Valka told me to keep these kids entertained while she checked up on Hiccup."
"Entertained, not brainwashed."
"Tomayo-tomato."
The morning sun had begun to fade and afternoon rolled around on Berk. Astrid still wasn't back from her, as she called it, undisclosed diplomatic mission. The rest of the riders, after their rousing game of Flappy Dragon, were tied up in the Great Hall helping the uninjured take care of the injured. But they weren't really helping, they were just trying to occupy themselves since things were pretty boring without authority figures. Destroying, gloating, Loki-ing- none were any fun without someone telling you not to. And to top it off, the mood on Berk had been pretty solemn since the battle and even people as prank-loving as Ruff and Tuff knew better than to pull any stunts now. So all they really had to do was try to move on an act as they normally would, just on a lower level of annoyance.
"Have you seen Astrid since she left?" Eret asked Snotlout.
"No, but I wish."
"I hope she gets back in time. When Ruff and I were over this morning he looked terrible."
"You really think he's gonna die?"
"Aye, unless Astrid comes through. I guess I'm just a bad-luck charm. As soon as I come here, Stoick dies, his son dies?"
"Mmm, it could be Valka, not you. I mean, she's got the upper hand, she was dragon-napped and abandoned her family for twenty years causing them unfathomable pain for most of their existence."
"Umm…"
"But then again your theory makes sense too."
"I can't help but feel responsible."
"Hey, look. I may be vain, selfish, rude, sexist, egotistical, barbaric, annoying, cocky, uncivilized, crude, a menace to society and… Um… What were we talking about again? Oh, oh right! I may be all those things but I do know that you're not responsible. No one is. Unless you got him sick, it's not your fault."
"Thanks for trying to help, but if he dies… I'm thinking of moving on, I mean away from here."
"From Berk?"
"Yes. To somewhere else, anywhere else."
"I wouldn't blame you if you do. I talk a big game but really, I can't be chief! I have my whole life ahead of me. If there's anyone who doesn't want him to die it's me. I just.. I'd be out there helping if there was something else I could do."
"Aye, as would I."
The two sat in silence for a bit letting reality sink in. As much as they tried to push it away and move on with their lives, the fact that their friend was dying was constantly eating away at them. Snotlout always did talk up a storm and rant and rave about how he would be a better chief but even he knew he was bluffing. As the days went on he started to realize more and more that he was actually going to rule. He was absolutely petrified. He would have no one to guide or teach him besides possibly Gobber. But since he created such a tough guy persona he couldn't let anyone knew he was quivering on the inside.
The silence between the two grew more and more tense as they seemed to mutually understand each other. Both men were terrified of the emotional and physical repercussions. However, right now, confusion trumped the terror when they saw the sight before their eyes. Walking toward them was Berk's favorite mischievous twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, who was holding what seemed to a chicken dressed in people clothes.
"I'm not going to say anything." Eret said as he stood up.
"Why," asked Tuffnut. "You've never seen a Chicken dressed like a human before.
"Just… Why?"
"I didn't have anything better to do. Snotlout's mom made the tunic."
"I'm ashamed that I somehow have a part in this." Snotlout said, burying his face in his hands.
"We're just bored, okay." Ruffnut added.
"It's better than sitting around and worrying." Tuffnut said.
"Astrid is still out?" Ruffnut asked, although it was more of a statement than a question.
"Aye," Eret replied. "But I'm sure she'll come through with the gem. Oh, speaking of, the rest of you won't say anything about it will you? All of you weren't really supposed to find out."
"My lips are sealed." Snotlout assured.
"I already forgot what we were talking about." Tuffnut added, absentmindedly petting his chicken.
"Good," was Eret's response. "Because I made a promise to someone and I broke-"
"Hey." Ruffnut stated both aggressively and sympathetically.
"There are a lot of promises being broken." Eret sighed.
Once more, another silence befell the group. The only sound was the occasional cluck from Tuffnut's chicken. Everyone had Hiccup and Astrid on their minds. They were losing themselves in their thoughts so much so that they didn't hear the doors to the Great Hall swing open and they were all startled when the chicken started frantically clucking. It wasn't long before Astrid, looking horribly beat down, found her way over to the group.
"Astrid," Eret exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. "You look awful, are you alright, you okay? Did you get it?" She pushed passed Eret not saying a word. She found her way to Ruffnut and weakly grabbed the girl by her arm.
"I need to talk with you. It's important." She began dragging her away when Snotlout intervened.
"Whatever you have to say, say it to all of us." Tuffnut and Eret nodded in support. Snotlout was tired of the lies and twists in the story of Hiccup's untimely death. Since this directly
concerns him and his future, he needed to know.
"No." Was all Astrid said. That was all it took for everyone to stop in their tracks. Everything happened so fast- Astrid barging in, her taking Ruffnut. Everyone was taken aback and started but this "no" was a blow to the gut that slowed them down. It wasn't an angry no or defiant no like they had all expected. Each time someone got in Astrid's way, they were met with rage and fury. But not this time. This no was a giving up no. She sighed when she said it and it was barely audible. It was sprinkled with a hint of desperation and denial, as if she were begging someone not to kill her or someone she loved died in her arms. No one had ever heard such a thing out of Astrid but she had uttered it. Each Viking felt their heart shatter as they looked into the girl's eyes. Her icy blue eyes were the color of tears. Without saying anything else, Astrid pushed passed them all with Ruffnut behind her. What the rest of the men had just witnessed, just heard, just seen, was enough to scar them. Each individual took off in his own direction, a look of horror on their faces. Hiccup, they were all sure, was now as good as dead.
Five. Five was all it took. Five deep breaths and Hiccup's mind and soul felt distant. Five deep breaths, the further away he felt. Five more breaths and he felt more and more detached. With each set of inhales and exhales he felt his pain lifting, his body lifting, his soul lifting. He could swear he heard the voice of his father whispering to him ever so quietly.
"Dad?" He asked to the empty air. But instead of feeling his father's long-awaited embrace, he felt a pressure on his abdomen.
"Oof." He let out involuntarily as he slightly jerked forward. The action was enough to draw him back to reality and the pain that followed was enough to remind him he's still alive. Hiccup blinked a few times and his eyes landed on his dragon, Toothless, giving him a guilty, gummy smile.
"Hey, bud," he said painfully. "Thanks for saving my life, again." Toothless warbled in reply and brought his head down so it laid on part of the bed. Hiccup looked at Toothless with sadness in his eyes. Without Hiccup, he would have to carry on alone. He's been alone for fifteen years but not like what was to come. Not to mention he would have to tackle the task of being alpha male all alone. He wouldn't have Hiccup to guide him and blow off steam with when he needed it. He would truly have to be doing it alone and he had no idea what to do. But it wasn't like Hiccup could be much help anyway. He had his own village to take care of and his own problems to fix. Maybe the pair would have parted ways eventually? Maybe they should. Regardless of that fact, right now Toothless was going to stand by Hiccup no matter what. They never made any promises to stay together forever, but that's what they would do since they were connected in a way no human and human ever were.
Hiccup didn't need to relate any of this to his counterpart because he already understood. He just laid there slowly and painfully scratching his head with his injured hand. He was so concentrated on his silent communication that he didn't even hear the person who came into the room.
"You're awake." Valka said, putting down a pail of water, a cup, a rag, and sitting on the side of the bed. Hiccup turned his head slightly to face her and smiled.
"I've been up for a while." He said weakly. He put his arm down and Toothless took his place on his stone slab, solemnly bowing his head.
"You're still sweating," Valka put the back of her hand on Hiccup's head and retracted immediately. "Yes, you're burning up." She carefully lifted the cup to Hiccup and told him to drink. He slightly sipped at the water not really feeling very thirsty.
"I feel like I'm on fire." He admitted, closing his eyes and inhaling sharply.
"That's what this is for." Valka said tenderly as she dipped the rag in water and started dabbing at Hiccup's forehead. The unexpected ice cold water sent a jolt through his body but he quickly recovered, soon relaxing and allowing the pleasure of the cool cloth to take over.
"What about everyone down at the Great Hall, are… are they-"
"Shh, try not to talk too much. They're fine, I have your buddies taking good care of them. Snotlout's telling tall tales to the kiddies believe it or not."
"Probably very tall and all about him." Hiccup grinned on an exhale and Valka smiled. She continued to dab his forehead with the cool cloth and encouraged him to drink more. As sad as this moment was, Valka treasured it. For the first time, she was taking care of her son. For twenty years she had only dreamed about it. She nursed countless dragons back to health but never, ever her first and only born child. She began to truly feel like a mother again, especially in Hiccup's feverish and childlike state of dependency. Hiccup was her baby no matter how old he was, how powerful he was, or if he was chief or not. He was a part of her, forever and always, living or dead. Their bond was one that would never truly be broken. Even if Valka was gone, she would still always be there.
"Where's Astrid?" Hiccup asked, coming out of his brief lucidity.
"I haven't seen her. I was going to check the Great Hall but you spiked a fever while you were asleep. I wasn't going to leave you alone."
"Thanks." He sighed, closing his eyes. Valka continued to dab but only a few more. She put the rag back in the pail and pushed it aside.
"I… just hope that she didn't do anything too unfixable." Hiccup stated bluntly.
"She's just trying to save you. Once you're healthy again you can outwit this Alvin fellow." Hiccup didn't react, just merely exhaled.
"I hope. But if he got his hands on that book."
"We'll get ours right back on there."
"He's going to stop at nothing to get me to teach him and…" A sudden burst of pain jolted through Hiccup's body. He arched his back and tensed. Valka quickly took his hand and squeezed it gently.
"No more worrying, Hiccup. Just relax."
"Valka," a quiet, feminine voice said from the door. "Is he alright?" Valka turned around and saw a very beaten down Astrid leaning against the frame. She looked as if she herself had just risen from the dead. Her normally tame blonde hair was wind-worn and messy. Tear tracks ran down her cheeks and her icy eyes were shimmering with fresh ones. She looked very much like a child who just suffered from a nightmare and was seeking comfort from her parents. She leaned heavily against the doorframe and clung to it for dear life, almost as if she didn't want to leave the safety of it.
"He developed a fever and had some sort of episode while you were away but right now he's coherent and awake." Valka got up and approached Astrid, intending to ask about the gem although she already assumed the answer. But before she could, Astrid nodded in thanks and hastily knelt beside Hiccup's bed. He hadn't noticed her presence since he was focusing on numbing the pain. Astrid grabbed his hand and he opened his eyes, a certain light appearing in them when he saw her face. Valka brought over the chair and Astrid took a seat, all the while still holding Hiccup's hand.
"You came back. In once piece." Hiccup and Astrid both lightly chuckled and she absentmindedly held his hand tighter.
"Yea, I did."
"Did you… am I going to live?" Astrid took in a deep breath and let it out.
"No." She said matter-of-factly. Hiccup, who hadn't been squeezing her hand at all, suddenly gripped it tight. The action caused Astrid to tense a little.
"Don't leave me." He whispered. He didn't need time for this information to sink in since he prepared for this ending. He just accepted.
"Hiccup, I-"
"I want to die with you beside me."
"You're not going to die!" She blurted out, slightly raising her voice. Both Valka and Toothless took notice and heightened their senses.
"Astrid, please."
"There's another way." She calmly stated, relaxing herself.
"I don't understand." Hiccup raised an eyebrow. Astrid suddenly and without warning pulled out The Book of Dragons with her free hand. She placed it on the bed, close enough for Hiccup to see.
"He didn't take it."
"What?"
"I offered and he didn't take it. But-"
"Please don't tell me he proposed a counter offer."
"He did. And-"
"Astrid, whatever you do you can't take it."
"I have to!" She pleaded with sudden urgency. She felt a few salty tear forming in her eyes but she closed them and swallowed her remorse.
"Just let me die."
"No, you don't understand Hiccup, I have to." She put deathly emphasis on the last three words. A sudden, tense silence fell on the group as Astrid thought of a way to tell Hiccup what she had to say without him lashing out.
"What is it?" Valka piped up from behind.
"A treaty," Astrid revealed without looking at her. Hiccup turned his gaze from his mother back to Astrid. "Alvin proposed a treaty. He doesn't want the book he wants-"
"Berk." Hiccup finished.
"Yes. He wants Berk. If I sign the treaty and we seal it, we get Outcast Island and he gets Berk."
"I won't let you, I'm still chief." Hiccup coughed. Astrid loosened the grip on his hand ever so slightly.
"Do you really think Alvin is going to care? If I sign your name it won't matter. We get the gems, you get to live."
"And then Alvin uses us to conquer the world. I refuse to have a hand in that."
"We'll deal with the repercussions once you're healthy and alive."
"If you agree, you'll have to go back. I don't want you to leave again. You… Promised to be with me always… Till the sun burns out…till there's no beating heart... till the moon falls from the sky, and… till death do us part."
"Our wedding vows." Astrid realized broken-heartedly.
"You promised me."
"I know, but-"
"He got much worse when you went off." Valka cut her off. Astrid loosed her grip on Hiccup's hand more significantly this time but he grabbed it again and resorted the bond. Astrid bit down on her lip to keep from blubbering and she forced herself to speak again.
"I'll be right back with the gem and then… You'll be alive." She forced herself to smile.
"We can be together." Hiccup said dazedly.
"Yea," Astrid let a tear fall out. "That too."
Maybe this was the right thing to do. Even in his current state Hiccup was still conscious enough to make choices about his life and people. He was chief after all and protecting his own was first priority. Astrid was right, they do this now and deal with the consequences later. Maybe Hiccup might even be stronger than before and able to take Alvin on himself. He needed to be here to fight for his people.
But then again, by allowing Astrid to sign this and, Hiccup assumed, send off some poor soul to marry Alvin, he would be giving up. He wouldn't be fighting for his people, he'd be selling his people out. In fact, they would no longer be his people. And if they ever found a way to dissolve the treaty, Alvin would have an excuse to declare war, a war which he would be ready for given his access to Berk supplies and dragons.
Hiccup was more than conflicted. If these were choices a chief always had to make than maybe it was better if he did die. He was being awfully selfish by only having the will to live with Astrid by his side. But deep down he knew that it was true. He would have died by now if Astrid had left. So maybe a selfish move was needed. But he'd be ruining some poor Berk girl's life by sending her off to marry Alvin. He wasn't even sure that was the case but he assumed. Could he really live with all the guilt? Ruining someone else's life to save his own?
"Wait." Hiccup said, summing up all his feeling into one word.
"We can't wait much longer, Alvin will have a draft by tomorrow and-"
"Then you can stay with me tonight." Hiccup smiled at Astrid, an action that broke her heart.
"If you want me to."
"I always want you too. You're my reason to live, my someone to live for. It's selfish but-"
"Hiccup please don't say that. You… You have Toothless, your mother, and all those other people you rule over. They love you just the same and I know you care about them. Just because we're married it doesn't-"
"Marriage. Who… Who is it?" He blurted out, finally finding a way to phrase it.
"Excuse me?"
"Who are we sending to marry Alvin. I know how these things work." Astrid gulped. She knew he wasn't going to take this news very well. It could possibly kill him.
"If I have to, I'll offer myself." Valka said stepping forward. She would do anything, even marry that brute of a man, to save her son.
"No, Valka, it's not Alvin who's getting married. It's Alvin's adopted son."
"Adopted son?" Hiccup asked, confused.
"Yea, he had some stupid contest to see who in the village was the most fit to be his successor and he adopted the winner. It's this way more attractive looking version of Alvin, about our age, total jerk."
"Way more attractive?" Hiccup jokingly raised an eyebrow this time but Astrid didn't react. All she did was loosen the grip on his hand again, enough so it laid there limply.
"He's getting the bride."
"Then… You're telling me that… Ruffnut is getting married aren't you?" Hiccup closed his eyes and sighed. He knew of the girl's undesire to get married and how heartbreaking it must be for her. But he also knew of her determination to save him and he knew she would say yes in a heartbeat. Half a heartbeat actually. She was willing to risk her life going to Outcast Island to get the gem so of course she'd get married. Hiccup tightened his grip on Astrid's hand again. He would forever feel guilty about letting it happen but as long as he had Astrid…
"No." Astrid said firmly.
"Then… Who," Hiccup asked, confused. "Everyone else is far too young, not even of marrying age. And the older ones, they'd probably never be able to have more children which I know Alvin will want. So that only really leaves…" Throughout his whole thought process Astrid let more and more tears slip from her eyes. As Hiccup thought aloud he stared at the ceiling not even noticing. He hadn't even noticed that Astrid's hand had gradually slipped out of his to the point where only their two index fingers were loosely connected. It wasn't until the end of his train of thought that Hiccup had realized where this was going. Despite the fact that he had a fever his entire body froze. He looked over at Astrid and it was confirmed. She was heaving her chest slightly, right on the brink of sobbing. Hiccup realized again and his heart shattered into pieces. Frozen, broken, feverish, and dead, he tried to grab her hand but she violently jerked it away, severing the bond. He realized once more.
"Astrid?" He whispered, so quietly that it was almost a thought.
I promise to be with you always-
"I'm sorry."
Till the sun burns out-
"Please."
Till there's no beating heart-
"I'm so sorry."
Till the moon falls from the sky-
"Astrid, please."
And-
"I have to!"
Till death do us part.
"No!"
The sun had set long ago and the honeymoon was over. Hiccup was dying and hearts were broken long before. But that didn't matter- none of it mattered. Astrid had to do this. She had to do it to save everything she ever loved. She had to do it to fulfill the promise she just broke now. But Hiccup didn't get it. He understood, yes, but he didn't understand why. Shock and disbelief filled him to the core as he felt hot tears begin to dribble out of his eyes. He started to burn up, to ignite. He felt his chest caving in on itself as he began to hyperventilate. This couldn't be happening, not now. He had to save Astrid and get her back. Just a small movement upward and he could grab her….
"Don't leave me!" Hiccup managed to get out with more force than he had intended. He was too caught up in his mission that he barely noticed Astrid had booked it to the threshold and Valka and Toothless were tending to him. He didn't care about any of that. He just had to get Astrid back. He tried to sit up forward again and yell but something prevented him from doing so. He coughed and then coughed again and coughed some more. Soon it all turned into a choke but he still tried. He found that he was pushing against a force and he couldn't get up with ease. But as long as he was alive he was going to fight for her because he promised.
All he heard was the incessant pounding of his heart in his ears reminding him that although the sun may have burned out and the moon fallen, it was still beating. He tried to shout for her but nothing came out; only heaving sobs and chokes made their way into the world. Tears clouded his vision and the fire consumed him. The burning flame lit his entire body but he didn't care. Just one more attempted to get out of this Gods-forsaken bed and he'd have her….
"You promised me!" He yelled with more clarity than ever before. Astrid merely watched the horror before her, Hiccup seizing, Valka and Toothless trying to stop him, but now she had had enough. She wanted to calmly explain why she was doing this but she never got the chance. Now, it was too late. She couldn't watch, she had to leave. Astrid swiftly turned away and ran out of the door but not before tripping over the threshold on her way out. She not so gracefully landed on the floor and found herself in a position similar to one of bowing down and pledging commitment. All of this was happening far too fast for her. She paused there for all of a second not able to bring herself back up. But she couldn't allow herself to break down and cry. Not here, not now. She just needed a second to breathe and to be sure. Slowly, she lifted up her head up and placed her hands out in front of her. She touched the solid wood and the wood touched back. This wasn't a dream or horrible nightmare. It was happening and it needed to happen now. She looked toward the front doorway and drowned out all noise from the outside room- Valka yelling at her to come back, Hiccup dying of a broken heart, Toothless cooing to try to calm him down. She looked ahead at the door and saw a slim pool of light bleeding through the cracks in the wood. A feeling inside her, deep down inside, seemed to kick her and propel her slightly forward. She leaned and arched her back, grabbing her stomach and forcing down the words she felt coming up.
Slowly, she rose to her feet with the help of some nearby furniture. She took one last look back at the room she came from- the room she's called home for the past year. She was surprised to find Valka standing where she was only a moment ago. The presence of the sun caused their two shadows to blend into one that filled the distance between them.
"Don't do this." Valka said almost pleadingly. Astrid didn't hear it, though. She just stared a while longer and apologized with her eyes. She turned away again and ran to the front door. She had her moment, now it's time. Not even stopping to breathe, she whipped open the door and all the light came pouring in. The wind blew through every crevice and all eyes turned on Astrid. Many people habitually turned their heads when they heard the door slam open. Eyes upon eyes, especially the eyes of the wedding witnesses, were on Astrid. Even the pleading eyes of a young, blonde Viking hastily making her way up the stairs looked up to face her. Astrid didn't care what anyone could hear from the inside or what anyone saw. Now, everyone would know.
"I, Astrid Haddock, officially declare myself…" She paused only for a moment to look up the to sky. The sun was still there and the shadow of the moon wasn't too far behind it. Her heart pounded in her chest in double time as she took in as much breath as she could. She held it in her and tried to savor it. Her last breath of Berk air. On the exhale, the word she suppressed finally escaped her lips.
"Divorced."
Right in time for Valentine's Day, huh folks!? Sorry for any emotional pain I've inflicted, please don't hate me! Instead of doing that you can follow/fav/review and be on the lookout for the next few chapters! There's about 4 more left after this one but I promise it won't take me 4 months to post them. I'll split it in half and say I should hopefully be done in the next 2. Keep reading, I'm not going anywhere unlike someone in this story who will be going to the afterlife soon oops sorry hint hint wink wink.
