Never Belonged

Chapter 54: I Want The Truth

Astrid

"That's the Outcast's crest," I dropped her hand away from me immediately feeling no hesitation. Her eyes widened at me as I pushed myself away from her slightly "Astrid, it's not what you think?" her voice was stammering at me "Oh yea and what should I think?" I lifted my feet off the ground as I stammered backwards away from her. Lucky for the both of us everyone else's concentration was on the silk water instead of the terror on the beach. Her feet lifted following my footsteps in turn. "Just let me explain," I shook my head. Should I or shouldn't I? Her eyes seemed meaningful but how could I believe what I was seeing. Flood of emotions and images were drowning in my brain. This innocent girl stood in front of my very eyes with an Outcast crest carved within her wrist. What should I believe after everything that I know they have done? My mind was being washed away by the ocean even though I was stood nowhere near its shoreline. "Astrid..." but it was too late my feet already started it's running away from the beach back to my house. I kicked the sand in my way highlighting how fast I was running. Her voice was chasing after me as my hands slammed my front door before she could make her entrance. I leant up against the door and listened to her heavy breath. "Astrid you need to give me a chance to explain myself...please I'm begging you...I wouldn't do anything to hurt you guys you have to understand that please...just let me in," her voice was getting dry; I knew she was about to cry. I placed my palm against the door, pressing my head against the wood taking a deep breath and opening the door.

There she stood mirroring my position. If my hair was down and I wore emerald eyes I would be looking into a mirror. I pushed the door open wider to let her enter "Thank you," she cried within her hoarse voice. Her feet motioned into the shadows of my home. The empty home just filled with echoes of the past. I set a few candle light's on through the house before setting the fire ablaze. We both took a seat next to the blaze with my ready to listen to her story. She wasn't afraid of hiding the mark any longer not now that my eyes had set foot on it. She laid it out in front of me so I could see it clearly in front of the fire's blaze. The mark was deep and secure, the blackness thickened in her skin. "You know the story about my husband and child," she started her story where I slowly nodded "He tortured anything he could find to torture about me, he tore everything away that I ever loved, he called me worthless and pathetic and that I was nothing but a lone wolf crying for help when I would get none. He called me weak and stupid. He said I would never belong to anyone again but he would accept me. I could stay and be trained as one of his assassins and kill whenever he desired but I couldn't do it. I would never do it. Not after what he did to the people I love. I told him why would I work for a murderer like himself and that I'd prefer to die than work for him. He laughed at me and burned his crest into my wrist and told me no matter where I went I would always be claimed as his own," the tears were now spilling from her eyes.

I wasn't much of a comforting type, but my arm was raised as I placed it around her without hesitation and she lowered herself into my chest. Her tears were real but was her story? As she spoke her voice cracked and stopped forcing away the tears that burned her eyes. I couldn't believe it though. The story seemed too good to be true. It seemed as if it had been well rehearsed just for a moment as such. Should I believe it? For now I knew I should before I could find anything else that needed odd about her. "Hayley...I'm sorry...I know what it's like to be held at her wrath but don't let it affect you...be stronger and prove him wrong." My words needed to be encouraging otherwise she would know I didn't believe her which would scar her even deeper. "Thanks Astrid...please don't tell the others about this, keep it between me and you," I nodded at her demand clear as day before she left me sat amongst the flames. I gazed down into them and let them burn into my soul as I sussed the situation out further. One can hold a very good story but how long can one keep up that story before they break? I moved away from the flames to distract my thoughts from the bad ones by heading upstairs ready for bed.

"Astrid!" My name was called from down below. His voice was angelic with hint of love with a mix concern. "Up here!" I called back to him. His feet immediately arrived at the door of my room. His shaggy wet hair dripped in front of face. I think the others tackled him pretty well "Looks like the others got you soaked," I couldn't help but laugh towards him; he shrugged at me "Probably the most fun they've had in a while," we shared smiles with each other. But immediately after I returned to what I was doing. I felt his callused hand touch my own as he stopped me from my work "Astrid, what's wrong? You took off without a second glance meaning something got under your skin...was it Hayley?" he turned me round to face him so our eyes locked into each other. "I saw something..." I trailed my words off "She doesn't want me to tell you." I quickly added "Well your gonna have to tell me now that you're brought it up," he joked around but at the same time was being serious. I sighed taking a deep breath "She bears an Outcast crest on her wrist," he mouth widened to the floor as did his eyes pop out from his head "We have to tell my dad!" he started ready to leave until I pulled him back down "No it's okay, she told me why it's their and it was terrible but she isn't working for them Hiccup, it's fine you can trust her," I ultimately lied to his face but it worked. He sighed in relief wrapping his arm around me "Well that's good then." A small smiled carved onto my lips at his voice but it wasn't a huge smile as I wasn't sure about my decision of trusting her. "Promise me you won't tell her I told her!" I blurted out; he laughed at my reaction and nodded "I promise."

I gazed up into his emerald eyes where stars lay shining every corner of his pupil. I leant up and pressed my lips against his while he kissed me back. I had to urge to push him down onto my bed – so I did. His hands travelled down my back as I ravelled my fingers through his hair no matter what texture it was. I grasped hold of the hem of his hair pulling him closer towards me and he pulled me closer towards his body so we sank into the bed deeper. My hand fell down behind his back wrapping them around his neck then trailing itself down to his chest. I reached where each hook of his armor was so I could unlatch it. He lifted up his arms so I could remove the armor and the shoulder blades; I chucked all on the floor next removing his tunic where my palms lay across his naked chest. He wrapped his arms around my waist turning us over so he lay on top of me. The kiss thickened as he travelled his hand up my chest untying my fur hood along with my own metal pads on my shoulders ready to pull my shirt over my head. We pulled apart gazing into each other's eyes. I was mesmerized by him. We both leaned back into each as both our bottoms were removed and the night lasted for as long as I can remember removing every bad thought from my brain as I could only focus on him.