Never Belonged

Chapter 66: Meeting Again

Astrid

"It's okay Astrid, we're here for you..." the voice seemed somewhat distance to me but also very close. I knew it was Jack but I really wished it be Hiccup. I wasn't gonna hide this time from the light so I opened my eyes. He was there holding my hand with his eyes crystal as ever. I slowly sat up clutching my stomach "Don't worry it's okay, Heather made sure of it," I sighed in relief but wished blacking out would stop happening to me so I wouldn't have to worry about my child as well as my love. I chucked my legs over the end of my bed and buried my head within my hands "Astrid what happened?" That's when everything came rushing back through, Hayley...everything but so did her words. Her name which ran through my making my blood boil like acid. Why would she say that? Why would she mention anyone? Immediately I pushed myself up from the bed and ran from the hut into the clubhouse "Astrid slow down!" Jack called out my name from far behind.

I dashed into the room with everyone's eyes on me "Astrid?" Fishlegs questioned my name but I paid no attention to them at that moment in time instead pulling out all the maps tucked away behind the wall. I chucked each and every one down on the table unravelling each with frustration "Astrid what are you looking for and could you please tell us what happened?" finally finding the map I wanted I slammed it down on the table placing a rock in each of its corners to hold it in place and stared up at everyone who's eyes were glued to me alarmingly. "So before Hayley knocked me out in the forest she was saying all this weird stuff," Snotlout spoke asking "Such as?" I groaned at him "Let me finish Snothat, when I asked her to hand Hiccup back over she said and I quote 'Until you give Viggo what he wants Hiccup stays put'" Everyone shared their thinking faces until Heather piped up "But I thought Hiccup was who he wanted?"

"That's what I thought but as she held me down she started comparing her strength with other people that she obviously knew as well as us, like Viggo and her...she knows her," everyone raised their eyebrow in unison "Who's her Astrid?" Jack asked breaking the silence. "Merida." And the gasps filled the room. "You're joking," Tuff spoke trying to hold in his laughter "No Tuff I'm not joking do I look like I'm joking to you and besides I think I've found out Plan B. We have Dagur watching over Hiccup, hopefully not being too harsh on him but I hear no promises, but now it's our turn to complete our part of the game," and I stared down at the map "Oh no, I don't like where this is going..." Fishlegs stepped back away from the table as everyone gazed at me in shock "Yes Fishlegs it's happening, we're going to pay our old friend a visit, we're going to Dunbroch and we're finding Merida."

**********

"Hey Astrid I have an important question?" I heard Tuff call from the back of the group "Is it actually important this time?" I tilted my face back to see him "Um yea, it always is, I was just wondering, is this a good idea going to see her I mean do you remember what happened last time you were face to face," it was the smartest thing I had heard come out of Tuff's mouth, why wasn't he always this thoughtful? "Well Tuff it's the only option we have in this current moment in time and if she is what Viggo is looking for as well as Hiccup then we have to know why," that's when he shut up. As Toothless rode through the wind it felt crisp against my skin rather than its usual soft tender, I figured it was from the speed we were taking because time is a luxury which we do not have. "Hey what's that big rock formation over there," Snotlout pointed into the distance "That's it, that's Merida's castle if she's anywhere that's where she'll be," Jack stated. As soon as those words were spoken Toothless sped towards their own little village but was stopped by Jack.

"What are you doing?" I slammed my eyes at him "You can't just go walking in their like you own the place because of who you are?" I was appalled by his language but mostly didn't really understand what he meant "What do you mean?" he ordered everyone deep into the forest and stared at each of us in turn "People in their village don't look the same as what you guys do so you need to change," he scanned each of our clothes before flying away leaving us stranded in the forest. I turned and looked at the others "Any of you offended by that comment?" They all just shrugged jumping off their dragons so I followed their lead. It was getting late and the sky was getting clouded over by the stars and the twilight and everyone was getting frustrated with each other. The twins were arguing, Snotlout was flirting with Heather and I was stuck with Fishlegs and his dragon knowledge. Where the hell did Jack go and why was he taking so long? "Maybe you should sleep?" I looked up to see Heather take a seat next to me "I'm okay thanks, I just wanna know where Jack is and why is he wasting our time?"

"Sorry for that but somebody needed to get you all some clothes to change into," and immediately he chucked individual clothes at us. I looked down at mine then looked back at him with my eyes wide "I am not wearing this," he crossed his arms and replied "Then you aren't getting any answers are you," I slammed the clothes down into my lap before standing to find somewhere to hide and change like everyone else. I ripped away all my clothes and slung over the material Jack gave me and headed out with my Viking clothes in hand. As I entered the area I escaped everyone looked at me in shock "Wow Astrid you look...different," Snotlout spoke with his mouth drooling. I looked down to see myself wearing a long velvet burgundy dress with my plait falling down by my side "Stop drooling Snotlout it's not attractive," which he immediately obeyed. I started walking towards the castle now that everyone was ready for only Jack to stand in front of me once more. His hand reached for my plait untying it strand by strand removing the band from head leaving me to feel naked but to let my curls fall down below my back and shoulders in a neat fashion "Now you look like one of them," I smiled and nodded before carrying on walking.

The place was lit with a glow that sparked through the whole village. It was beautiful...if only the princess matched it's delight. We searched through each stool and found her in no sight, even in the stables where we were directed but no one had seen the princess. In the end we made our way through to the castle gates and waited patiently for an answer. "This is stupid they are never gonna let us in," Ruff moaned from behind but as she did so the doors opened before leaving us to face a man quite like Stoick but his facial hair was not so long and his leg was missing just like Hiccup. "Who might you people be?" he commanded his voice seemed cheerful nothing compared to Merida, the only reason I compare is because they have identical features no one can miss. "Sorry to bother you sir, but we were looking for Merida, we're friends of hers and she invited us round," but he held up his hand for me to stop talking and opened the door widely introducing us forwards.

The whole room we entered was lit by complete candle light which made the castle have a warm fuzzy feeling which I adored so much. Everyone's heads were turning in amazement as it was nothing to what we are used to back on Berk. "Merida will be in her room," I nodded curtly and we all made our forward. He didn't give us very clear instructions so we had to search room by room to find her. I knocked on another door with a grump in my tow ready for another mishap. The door opened with fire and there the fire stood. Her eyes glared upon me as I landed my hands on my hips and stared at her back with a hateful glare. "Hey Merida, surprised to see us," she was about to slam the door in my face until my foot blocked it and I made my entrance "You have a nerve coming here you know that Astrid?" but she now didn't seem too alarmed. "I have good reason to," I stated at her as the other started admiring her room "I highly doubt that -," I cut her off before she could talk "What's your business with Viggo Grimborn?" she stopped her tracks as she walked towards me "Who are you talking about?" so I repeated myself with more tone "Viggo Grimborn, how do you know him?"

"I think you should leave now!" and she started pushing us all towards the door but I held firm against her and I could see the sorrow in her eyes which were true not false "Merida what did he do?" but she shook her head "You wouldn't understand," I held her back and stared at her our sapphire eyes locked "Try me," but again she shook "No you wouldn't," she gave up trying to remove us so she began to remove herself "Merida he's got Hiccup," and she stopped to look back at me "Merida he has Hiccup, I know what he is capable of, we all do, we have dealt with him before and we need to do it again, we need to save Hiccup and the only way we can do so is with your help but only if you tell us how you two know each other," she slowly made her way back into the room "Why am I the one to help?" I stood forward closer to her "Because we believe he's looking for you as well as wanting Hiccup," her eyes widened in shock and shook her head once more "I'm sorry I can't help you." I pulled her back to face me no longer afraid of what this girl was capable of because she too was afraid of this man "Merida, if you loved Hiccup just as much as I love him then please help us," I looked at her meaningful as did she back "It's a long story," I sat down as did the rest of us in the room "We have time."