Run and Hide

Chapter 37: The Fear In His Eyes

Chapter 37: The Fear in His Eyes

Astrid

"And he'll do whatever it takes," hearing the words Aryan had to say sent a shudder through my heart and I could feel that it did the same with the others around me. Hearing Viggo wants Hiccup back and that he'll do anything to make sure it happens makes goose-bumps trail all the way round my body. I exchanged glances with Snotlout, Fishlegs, Heather and the twins who all shared the same expression I had. It was worry, fear and concern but when my head turned round to look back at Aryan I noticed the fear which was written all across Hiccup. How deeply he held onto Valka at the Aryan's news where Valka mirrored his actions, there was no way she going to let go of her son. Hiccup was shaking his head at Aryan followed by his body shaking, stammering along his words "I'm not going back there. I'm not going back. Please don't make me go back there," watching him seem so fearful showed each of us what it was like for him there, it definitely wasn't inviting but seeing Hiccup act this way about it made me sorry even more sorry for him and scared for him. I wasn't going to let it happen to him; by the looks on everyone else's faces they weren't going to let it happen either. "Hiccup, Hiccup you aren't going back there, you here me. I'm not going to let that happen, I'm not losing you again," Valka pulled him round to face her trying to reassure him that everything was going to be okay but, I wasn't sure that was going to help him as he kept shaking terribly and buried himself in his mother's arms "He'll have to go through us if he wants to get to you, you aren't going anywhere," I heard Snotlout say by the side of me while everyone else behind me nodded including myself. It surprised me that Snotlout was the one who spoke up out of us considering things.

Hiccup wasn't paying any more attention to what was happening around him, he just stayed buried within the comfort of his mother's arms which I don't blame him while Stoick thanked Aryan and ushered us all out due to circumstances. As he did so though, I couldn't remove my eyes off the fragile figure being held across the room, he was still shaking but I could see Valka's lips moving softly noting she was probably trying to calm him down which I think was slowly working. I still couldn't move until a bold figure stood within my view "Don't worry Astrid, he'll be okay. He just needs some time alone for now, you understand?" I nodded slowly at Stoick while he escorted me out of the house. I had to tear my eyes away harshly and walk my way out but it was hard to do. It killed me inside; it killed me seeing him like that. Just as he was starting to feel normal, feel at ease something had to come in and ruin it all for him. But just looking at him watching the fear ignite inside his eyes it was hard to watch and now I wanted to protect him more than ever. I watched as I noticed Aryan walk round the village alone so I ran over to him "Hey! Aryan!" he stopped where he was walking and stood round to smile at me "Astrid right?" I nodded at him brightly "What can I do for you?" he asked me straight away "I wanted to thank you, for coming and warning us about Viggo. We could have been blinded and never see it coming and we could have lost him again. If that happened I would never forgive myself."

"Astrid, you don't need to thank me. I will always look out for Hiccup, just because he isn't at the compound anymore doesn't mean Ashley and I will stop caring about him. We'll do anything to make sure that he is safe and at home where he belongs, just like Alastair wanted just like I want," I nodded at him with a reassuring look on my face. But just the thought of Hiccup just sent a scar through my heart and I'm pretty sure it cascaded across my face "He's strong Astrid, he'll pull through he always does," Aryan placed a hand on my shoulder while I looked up at him he tried smiling back at me but it was no use because behind it I could see a facade of terror. He was still worrying about Hiccup as well probably more than I am or just as equally which just left the question, is Hiccup really safe? "What happened when he was there?" Aryan looked even more uneasy sighing heavily and slowly started to walk back through the village while I kept up with him "It was great at first Astrid, he actually enjoyed himself you know acted like a normal kid who accepted and enjoyed everything he did. He was so fascinated with everything which was how he was able to change Alastair's mind. Viggo however, he hated it he hated everything to do with dragons and only believed in the past, hunting and killing dragons and hating Berk because of the beliefs. But after Viggo took charge, Alastair disappeared everything changed for Hiccup. Each and every day he would be locked up in the tower or in isolation if one of the compounds didn't have a tower that is.