I will save you

Chapter 11: Uncomfortable

Astrid's POV

The cold, morning breeze tickled my face as I breathed in the crisp air of the mountains. I sighed happily, having finally been able to reach the clouds once more.

"Hey Astrid!" The ever so enjoyable voice of Snotlout Jorgenson snapped me back to reality. "Would you please remind me WHY you dragged us all up A MOUNTAIN before sunrise!?"

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as I did my best to tune out Snotlout's endless complaining. Ever since Ruffnut and I had discovered my pregnancy, she had made me follow her little rules to a point, and one of those rules included the one thing I loved most in my life; flying with my dragon. Having been banned from doing just that, I was forced to look elsewhere for the rush of the skies and the howling wind in my face as the sun rose from the sea, which had led me to take walks up the mountains of Berk. But alas, this was not something Ruffnut would allow me to do on my own, which was why she had forced the boys to come along with us just in case something happened. You know, like she thought that the two of us couldn't fend for ourselves. I might've been pregnant, but that sure as Hel didn't mean that I couldn't still take care of myself.

I opened my eyes yet again and turned to Snotlout, feeling much calmer than when he had first opened his big mouth. "I didn't drag you anywhere, Snotlout. Ruffnut did."

Snotlout began his signature mumbling, and I could've sworn I heard his favorite line in the middle of his incoherent sentences; 'Shut up, Astrid'.

It didn't take long before we had reached the top of the mountain. And to my great surprise, we had made it there just in time to see the sun rise from the sea. I sat down in the damp grass as the dark sky was repainted in beautiful shades of yellow and pink, making the sky look like it had been set ablaze.

"I've got to admit, I've always loved sunrises and sunsets." Tuffnut stated with a smile, eyes glued to the mesmerizing skies before him.

Fishlegs raised a brow at Tuff's words. "Why?"

"Because he's a pyromaniac, and sunsets and sunrises look like fire." Ruffnut snorted as she played with her braids.

"Am not!" Tuffnut clapped back, visibly annoyed by his sister.

Ruffnut went head-to-head with her brother. "Are too!"

"Alright, how about the two of you shut up?" I firmly told the twins, who surprisingly enough did as they were told immediately.

As the sun rose higher and higher in the sky, the familiar sound of a rooster announcing a new day filled our ears as it echoed all over the island.

"Oh no, I've got to go home!" Tuffnut shot up from his sitting position, clearly agitated.

"What? Why?" Snotlout asked, narrowing his eyes at Tuffnut suspiciously.

"It's Chicken. Ever since we got married she's just ... she's changed." Tuffnut admitted, looking quite distraught. I glanced over at Snotlout and found him about to burst from laughter. I delivered a hard blow to his side which immediately made him pull himself together.

Fishlegs tilted his head as he looked up at the standing Tuffnut. "How so?"

Ruffnut rolled her eyes as she laid down in the grass. "Here we go ..."

"It's just that she's gotten so bossy! I'm never allowed to do anything anymore! First I wasn't allowed to eat dinner in the Meade Hall with you guys, then she wanted Ruffnut to move out so I would have more time for her! She's out of her mind!"

"Don't you mean she's gotten a little ... cluckoo?" Snotlout, unable to keep his amusement in any longer, burst into laughter, rolling around in the grass at his horrible pun. We all stared at him in utter disappointment.

Ruffnut shook her head grimly as she too got up from the ground. "So much potential, wasted."

Snotlout stopped his little laughing fit as Fishlegs and I got up as well. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what Tuff? I think it's time we leave so that Chicken won't get too mad at you." I said, playing along with my friends.

"HEY! Don't leave me behind!" Snotlout yelled as he scrambled to catch up with the rest of us.

***

"I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you about the walk, Chicken! Believe me, it was all RUFFNUT'S idea!" Tuffnut pleaded to the chicken he had married from where he sat on his knees in front of her.

"Listen bro, don't drag me into YOUR problematic marriage!" Ruffnut replied from where she was laying, stretched across the couch as she finished a yak chop.

"Bawk!" Chicken narrowed her eyes at Tuffnut before biting his nose. I glanced over at both Snotlout and Fishlegs and found them stifling their laughter, just like I was.

I shook my head at Tuffnut's antics before taking a deep breath and moving in the direction of the door. "Well, this has been fun everyone, thanks for coming along with me on my walk, I'll see you all tomorrow!"

I slipped out of the Thorston house before it's inhabitants even had the chance to protest my actions. I sighed in relief as thoughts of what I would spend the rest of my day doing raced around my mind.

Typically, if I had nothing important to do, I would take an extra long flight with Stormfly, but seeing as that was out of the question, I had to find something else to do. The second thing one my list would be axe-throwing. But seeing as I couldn't do that either, that only left the things I hated doing; housework and Chief-duties.

Don't get me wrong, I love helping the people of Berk with their problems and listening to their struggles, I just hate all the sitting-around-and-writing-reports aspects of it. Odin curse those bloody ancestors of ours who wanted to document EVERYTHING.

"Hello, there." A familiar voice snapped me out of my train of thoughts. And when I turned around, I found none other than the newcomer on Berk himself: Sigurd Jansson. I took a deep breath before plastering on a polite smile. "Hey, Sig. What can I help you with today?"

Sig shrugged as he hungrily looked me up and down with those piercing eyes of his. I gulped as I instinctively attempted to discreetly direct his attention away from my body. "There's not really much I need help with, I mean I've gotten most of my things packed out and all, the only thing that's missing is some company I suppose ..."

I blinked rapidly at the suggestive look he was sending me. What was this man doing? "Sig, you do know I'm married, right?"

"I do, but I also know that your husband isn't here at the moment, which must have you feeling pretty lonely as well. I mean, what kind of man would leave such a gorgeous woman alone for such long periods of time? That should be illegal." Sig looked at me with a smoldering look. Frigga, was I uncomfortable, and hadn't it been for the fact that he was a diplomatic visitor, I would've punched him square in the face.

"You know, it isn't all that lonely when you have friends to keep you company or I don't know ... a Deadly Nadder by your side who would do anything to keep you safe?" I subtly threatened him, hoping that he would take the hint and leave me alone.

Sig placed two fingers beneath my chin, lifting my face up so that our eyes met, which made me unbelievably uncomfortable. "Regardless of who you have by your side, any time of the day, just know: my door is always open."

And mine is always locked. Gods, how I had wanted to say that back to him. But before I even had the chance to reply to his little invitation, Sig turned on his heel and walked in the direction of his house. I shuddered as I walked up the steps to my own house, making sure to lock the door shut so that I wouldn't risk any ... surprise nighttime visits.