Happier

Chapter 10

Astrid sat in the Great Hall, anxiously awaiting Hiccup's return. Why did she agree to let him stay on that island longer? He should've come home with everyone else. She'd had enough of this. Astrid stormed out of the Great Hall. She walked quickly through the village, dodging children and carts.

Astrid reached the west cliff. That's when she saw it. One of Berk's ships was very close to the shore. The same exact one they took to Bashem.

'Why is Hiccup coming from the west? Bashem is north of here,' Astrid thought, 'There's nothing west of here except... no. He didn't. He wouldn't have.'

Astrid raced back through the village. She was almost to the boat docks when she heard her name.

"Astrid?" a voice called.

She knew that voice all too well. She really didn't want to talk to him right now. "Kylan! Hey babe!"

"Where are you rushing off to? I never get to see you with your job as general. Why can't you just-" Kylan began.

"Kylan. We've had this conversation before. You know I can't just 'quit' and even if I could, I don't want to. This job has been the best thing that's happened to me since, since-" Astrid cut in. Her eyes wandered over the sky looking for an answer.

"Since Hiccup," Kylan finished.

"What?" Astrid's eyes met Kylan's.

"Don't play coy Astrid. I know you still care for him. By the gods you probably still love him!" Kylan's voice rose.

"Of course I care for him! You don't just stop caring! But don't for one second think you can tell me what my feelings are!" Astrid yelled.

Kylan didn't speak. Astrid looked around, realizing they were drawing attention to themselves.

Astrid let out a quick breath, "I was going to say it's the best thing that's happened to me since Stormfly."

"Oh for Thor's sake Astrid! It always leads back to that puny chief Hiccup! Do you even realize that?!" Kylan shouted.

By this time, Astrid knew people were starring.

"We're not having this conversation right now," Astrid said quietly. She turned around and started walking away.

Kylan reached for her arm and grabbed it, "You don't get to walk away from me Hofferson!"

"No! YOU don't get to speak to your general that way," Astrid's voice boomed through the town square.

"What is going on here?" Hiccup's voice carried through the square as he spoke.

His eyes landed on the scene in front of him. Astrid ripped her arm from Kylan's grasp.

"Nothing of importance chief," Astrid said. She managed to compose herself before turning to meet Hiccup's eyes.

That's when she noticed the woman beside him. Her arm was wrapped around one of his and she hadn't spoken.

"Liv! What are you doing here?" Astrid asked.

"We thought it'd be a good idea to get Liv familiar with New Berk since I was familiarized with Bashem.

"Ah, I see. That makes sense," Astrid said.

'But then does Liv know?' Astrid asked herself.

"Hiccup, can you and I have a word alone?" Astrid asked.

Hiccup turned away from Liv, "Of course. Let me show Liv to my hut and then I'll meet you in the Great Hall."

Astrid waited in the Great Hall for 15 minutes. She sat in on a table, thinking. Her head turned to the door as she heard it open. Hiccup made his way to where Astrid sat. He stood in front of her gestured for her to talk.

"So Liv is staying in your hut huh?" she began. A wave of nervousness washed over her all the sudden.

"Oh, ya, for now at least. Until we get a proper hut ready for her," Hiccup answered.

"What's the real reason you wanted to speak to me?" Hiccup asked.

"I saw your boat," Astrid hopped down from her seat on the table.

Hiccups face dropped, but he quickly composed himself again.

"What were you doing in the west?" she asked.

Hiccup didn't say anything, he just looked away.

"You went to the hidden world, didn't you?" Astrid said.

"What does it matter?" Hiccup spat.

"It matters because you took Liv with you!" Astrid yelled. "Not even all of Berk knows where the hidden world is and you just decide to show some stranger?!"

"Liv is not a stranger," Hiccup said. He wanted to shout but knew it would do them no good.

"Were you even thinking? No one's supposed to know where it is," Astrid's voice quieted.

"Don't patronize me," Hiccup said. A cold glare met Astrid's eyes and she almost wanted to burst into tears.

"Did it even cross your mind to tell us?!" Astrid started yelling again. "Did it even cross your mind that we wanted to see our dragons too!"

"No, it didn't ok?!" Hiccup began shouting.

"You should've told us. You're not the only one suffering here!" Astrid fought back the tears. "You're not the only one who misses them every single day or wishes things could be different!"

"You don't know what it's like," Hiccup turned around.

"Yes, I-" Astrid began.

"No! You don't know what it's like. You don't know what it's like to be a chief without an heir! You don't know what it's like to be judged by your tribe! You don't know what it's like to have everything stripped away from you! I've lost everything, Astrid!" Hiccup shouted, holding back tears.

"I- I'm-" Astrid started again.

"Don't apologize," Hiccup cut her off.

Astrid didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say.

"Did you see them?" she asked quietly.

Hiccup sighed, "No."