Home-Bound: Broken Ties

18 - Cabin Talk

I'm sorry I've been gone so long please don't kill meeeeee

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"Astrid's dead," Luneah abruptly exclaimed one day after her walk through the village. She sat down at the table and placed her head in her palms. "Her life is over. Goodbye. I'll miss her."

"What?!" Hiccup shrieked, shooting up in his seat. He nearly fell over in his haste to get up, straightening his shirt and limping towards the door. "Did Elise get there in time? Maybe there's still a chance... how did this happen all of a sudden—"

"I didn't mean it literally, Amare."

"Oh. What did you mean then?" Hiccup cursed himself for acting so dramatically. Luneah used sarcasm almost as much as Hiccup did. You would think he would be used to it by now...

"Astrid and Snotlout are getting married. In a few days."

The news wasn't much better than before. Hiccup's heart still stopped for an entire second. "What? Since when was the date settled?"

"A while now..."

That didn't offer much as an explanation.

An entire month had passed, Hiccup soon realized. An entire month where he had no recollection of anything that happened to him or the outside world. For an entire month, he had been at his most vulnerable state on an island that doesn't really like him. The idea alone made Hiccup shiver with disdain.

September had come and gone. The battle with the queen had been in the second week of September. It was now mid-October, two weeks after he first woke up. And his movement was still limited to maybe a trip downstairs or even in the front yard if he was lucky. And that was with help.

Hiccup wondered how Allen and Jeysannia were doing. He hoped they had adapted well. But he had faith in the two of them. They were the pranksters of the group but knew how to be serious when the time came. Allen and Jeysannia would take care of Isunder for Hiccup. (Hiccup had hoped Eret and Mark would be able to provide some assistance, but, unfortunately, they were both needed on Berk to supervise the soldiers and watch over the "Royal Family". But at least Allen and Jay had Heather and Cami...?)

Hiccup then realized he had missed Luneah's entire explanation And only caught onto the tail-end.

"...for a few days until Astrid's power is established. Then they'll divorce."

"Seems a bit counter-productive... don't you think?"

"Maybe," Luneah shrugged. She had thought about the statistics. A Viking wedding took weeks to plan, days to prepare, and a whole lot of energy the day of. And with it being so close to winter, Berk's food stock would likely take a huge hit right before the freeze. To Luneah, having the wedding in October didn't make much sense. "But Stoick wants Astrid to be the heir and the only way she can legally gain power is if she becomes a part of the ruling family. And—I'm sure you know this—the only way for her to take the throne from Snotlout is if she has a greater or equal position."

Hiccup did know that. But the whole situation was still confusing. Astrid hated Snotlout with a burning passion. And Stoick could easily whip up a few other ideas that were easier and more practical. He was the Chief of Berk, after all.

"So... can't my father just adopt her or something? She'll be higher then Snotlout if that happens. And no marriage needed."

"But the whole family needs to approve of the adoption. Stoick didn't want to bother you or Valka and neither did Astrid. You both aren't Berkians anymore. You shouldn't be dragged into Berkian matters, especially one that concerns something as trivial as marriage. At least that's what Astrid said."