Will it be forever?

Chapter 3: Unfair

Hiccup's POV

It had been a week since Astrid's accident, and judging by the looks of pity and sorrow Gobber and Gothi usually sent my way when they thought I wasn't looking, Astrid wasn't doing too good.

I was in the middle of reading through some of the letters I had been left over the past week when there was a knock on my front door, followed by Gobber and my mother peeking their heads in.

I exchanged a confused look with Toothless as we raised our brows at the duo behind the door. I put down the letter I was reading through and beckoned for them to enter. "It's clear that there's something you wish to tell me, so please, come on in"

The two of them walked cautiously in, very obviously avoiding my gaze as they made their way over to me. Gobber was the first to look at me.

"Listen Hiccup, Astrid ... well, she's not gettin' any better, lad" Gobber admitted with a heavy sigh. "Which is why Gothi has decided that it would be best for Astrid if we move her"

I shot up from the table, sending parchment and several letters flying around the room. "What?"

"Son, Astrid's injuries are very severe, and Gothi fears that if we don't move Astrid soon, she won't be able to keep her alive for much longer" My mother buzzed in, placing a supporting hand on my shoulder as our eyes met.

I took a second to breathe. I thought I had been prepared for the eventual announcement of Astrid's death a week ago, but now that I knew that there could be a chance, a chance that I could maybe see her again, hold her again ... there was no way in Valhalla or Hel that I was going to let that chance go.

"Very well, move her then, you have my permission" I stated as relieved smiles appeared on their faces, and their shoulders sank.

"Thank you, Chief " Gobber smiled sympathetically as he patted me on the shoulder. "Now, do you wish to join us?"

***

The road to where Gothi wanted Astrid wasn't a short one. For some strange reason, she wanted her in a deep, dark cavern on the other side of the island. Luckily for us, we had our dragons.

Gothi rode on Cloudjumper with my mother as Gobber and Grump followed, with Astrid strapped safely to the large dragon. As usual, my gaze couldn't help but wander over at her, granted it was a bit difficult to see her through the light rain that fell from the sky, but a little was more than enough for me. We eventually landed outside a cave with a very tiny opening.

"How are we going to get through there?" I asked as I jumped off Toothless and the night fury tried to squeeze himself through the slim opening.

"We'll get in just fine, lad" Gobber began as he unstrapped Astrid and carefully lifted her off the dragon. "The dragons will just have to stay here"

I exchanged a look with Toothless, but as soon as he saw my eyes wander over to Astrid for the millionth time today, he just nodded, a small smile pulling at the corners of his long mouth. I patted him on the head before I casually strode through the opening, trying my best to adjust my eyes to the darkness of the cave.

Gothi and my mother took the lead, walking through the deep cave like it was a stroll through the town. Gobber and I had a somewhat hard time following them, but fortunately for us, we didn't have to walk too far.

Gothi and my mother's eyes were on me as we entered a rather large room in the cave. The ceiling was high, so high I couldn't even see where it stopped, and there was not a single source of light in the entire room. The only thing that differed this cave room from the others, was the large stone pedestal in the middle of it.

I stopped beside my mother and Gothi and watched as Gobber carefully laid Astrid down on the long pedestal. He brushed away a strand of her hair as he placed her almost glowing, red arms neatly along the sides of her body.

"What is all of this?" I asked the others, but was only met by silence and the echo of my voice.

Gobber patted Astrid's hand before walking back towards us, head hung low. "According to Gothi, this is the best place for Astrid's body to heal, seeing as there is not a single drop of light in here, which Gothi means is good for her"

Gothi waddled over to Astrid, a few jars in hand which I had not noticed her carrying earlier. She began shaking her staff over Astrid's head, doing Thor knows what to her before she opened one of the jars.

"It's time for us to go, boyo" Gobber said as his strong hand landed on my shoulder, forcing me to turn around.

"What? No, I'm not leaving her!" I exclaimed as I gestured towards the lifeless body atop the stone pedestal.

Gobber shook his head slowly as he guided me out of the cave room. "There are certain things you shouldn't have to witness, lad"

That sentence stuck with me all throughout the walk back out the cave. For some reason, the walk seemed so much longer this time around than it had previously, which unfortunately gave me a lot of time to think. As we had been reunited with our respective dragons and were about to climb onto them, Gobber's words rang through my head once again.

"She's dead, isn't she?" I mumbled as I looked into Toothless' big, almost luminescent green eyes. The usual grunting and groaning Gobber made as he climbed onto Grump seized as the large Viking turned to face me. "First dad and now Astrid. Two people who sacrificed their lives for mine, just because they love me. How is any of this fair to me?"

Toothless cooed sympathetically at me as he nudged his head against my side, but I couldn't be bothered to look at him. Behind me, a sigh escaped Gobber as I suddenly felt large and strong arms wrap around me and pull me into a hug.

Gobber sniffled into my shoulder. "I'm so sorry you've had to go through all of this my boy, but I'm afraid life has never been fair and never will be fair, sometimes we just have got to accept that, no matter how unjust we think it is"

I leaned into Gobber's large figure and hugged him back. "Thank you, Gobber, for everything"