I will save you

Chapter 18: Giving you up

Hiccup's POV

I felt Astrid's body tense behind me, informing me of exactly who the person ahead of us was. "You must be Sigurd Jansson, I've heard quite a bit about you."

I scowled at him, remembering an evening at the dinner table with Astrid when she had told me about how uncomfortable this one visitor in the village had been making her before I had returned home from my alliance meeting. Hadn't it been for the fact that Berk was allies with his father's tribe, I would've struck him down right then and there.

With a greasy grin, Sigurd's eyes landed on Astrid. "I'm glad to hear that you've been talking about me, Astrid."

I took another protective step in front of Astrid, shielding her from his view as I felt her shudder uncomfortably behind me. I instinctively rested my fingers on the hilt of my sword.

"Well, I'm happy to see the two of you here at last, that means my little poisoned dart worked." Sigurd grinned, placing his hands on his hips as Toothless growled at him. I held out a hand to signal Toothless to stay back.

I narrowed my eyes at him as the last pieces of the puzzle finally came into place. "That's why she was passed out in the woods, you shot her!"

"Listen, Haddock," Sigurd sighed, his grin faltering as he seemed to have grown tired of his own games. "We both know that Astrid's time on this earth is now ... limited, so I suggest we make a little trade."

I raised a brow as I scoffed at him. "Now, why would I make a trade with you?"

"It really depends on whether you want to see your wife live a long and happy life or if you'd rather see her die here, on this island, today." Sigurd stated nonchalantly, shrugging in the process. I felt Astrid's weak hand on my shoulder as a series of coughs rippled through her. Gods, why did he have to take advantage of the love I had for my wife?

I took a deep breath before meeting his eyes. "Go on."

Sigurd pulled up a familiar flower from his pocket, waving it around in the air. "You see, this little flower, is the cure to Astrid's illness. Upon eating this, she will instantly become better, but it comes at a price."

"Is it gold you want? I'll give you all the gold in the archipelago, just give me that flower." I nearly pleaded with him as I felt my fingers itching to just snatch that flower from his grip.

"I don't want gold, or anything materialistic. All I want is her." Sigurd pointed a finger at Astrid, and somehow I could feel the color drain from her already pale face.

"Out of the ques-"

I didn't even have a chance to finish my sentence before Astrid cut in, slowly coming out from where she had been hiding behind me. "Fine, I'll do it."

I whipped my head so fast in her direction I almost managed to get whiplash. "Astrid?!"

Astrid placed a frail hand on my arm as dimmed, ocean blue eyes gazed into mine. "Trust me, Hiccup. I promise I'll find my way back to you, alright?"

"Are you out of your mind? I will not let you go with him! No way!" I gestured to the large man tapping his foot impatiently against the soft grass.

"Hiccup, please, this is ... " She took a pause to breathe as it was clear she was getting weaker by the second. "This is my choice."

Astrid stood up as straight as she could muster and pressed a surprisingly soft kiss to my cheek before she turned to Sigurd, her face steeled with determination. "The flower, please."

For a person as sick as she was, her voice was strangely loud and commanding as she walked to the middle of the field that stretched between us, reaching out her thin hand for the flower.

As promised, Sigurd handed her the flower, and she vigorously devoured it. Not long after, the color finally returned to her face after weeks of having been a sickly green. Her ocean blue eyes yet again found mine, only this time, the spark in them seemed to have come back. Astrid straightened her back as a deep sadness washed over her face.

"It seems I've upheld my part of the deal then. You ready to go, Astrid?" Sigurd smirked, snaking his arms dangerously low around her back, receiving absolutely no form of retaliation for his actions from Astrid.

I felt the blood boil in my veins. He couldn't just take Astrid like she was some sort of hunting trophy! Gods, how I wanted to run after them with my sword held high as I aimed for Sigurd's head, but a small look that Astrid sent from over her shoulder immediately made me calm back down as I watched another man walk off with the love of my life.

My chest grew heavy as I watched them disappear behind the trees, leaving me all alone on the island with Toothless as my only company. I felt my heart constrict as I lost my breath for a brief moment, struggling to hold back the tears that had welled up in the corners of my eyes.

Suddenly, my knees grew weak as they wobbled dangerously right before I tumbled to the ground with a loud 'thud!'. A cooing Toothless laid down beside me, sensing my distress as he looked up at me with those sparkly emerald eyes of his. I glanced over at him as I let out an audible sigh and patted my dragon on the head. "At least you aren't going anywhere, bud."

I knitted my brows together as I scanned the tree line, hoping for Astrid to have just beat Sigurd down and come running back to me, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. Months of pent up anger, sadness and agony was all let out in one loud cry, followed by a series of sobs as tears streamed down my face.

Gods, how could I just let her go? How could I just let her give us up?