The flaws of being a Hiccup take II

Chapter 13: The talk with everybody

*unedited*

Astrid

I had spent a lot of time with Hiccup since I came back. Not really with everyone else. Anyone, who was everyone, would try to avoid me and whisper behind my back, like I wasn't even there. Like I was a ghost.

To them I probably was, and I don't blame them for thinking that. Vikings have apparently no fear, which is almost true, but there is one or maybe two things that a viking would steer clear of at all costs. The only thing that would make them tremble with fear and shudder with anxiety. Which believe me, almost never happened, ever.

The only one or two things that vikings fear out of everything is the paranormal, the unexpected, the unbelievable. Vikings aren't big dreamers, so for them once someone dies they're gone, and are never coming back. For them this was a miracle, a miracle that they most strongly don't believe in. Once you die you go up to Valhalla and live as a soul, life with unimaginable pleasure and hospitality. But there is no coming back to what you have lost.

Odin wouldn't bring me back without a reason. I would be known as cursed, a witch, a demonic creature who managed to escape from hell. I was the devil to them.

To be honest, I didn't really care what they thought, as long as I was with Hiccup and he knew who I was for me. I was no devil, nor demonic creature, witch, or ghost. I was me, Astrid Hofferson, I had not died but was merely in a deep sleep of which a witch had stirred me from and an ugly troll had put me in.

But whether I wanted to or not, I had to face them all. I had to banish these stupid rumours, I had to make sure that they knew who I am, who I still am. That I am no devil, that I am still the same old me, Astrid Hofferson.

It hurt that even my friends who I had known for so many years, would even doubt and fear me.

"you ready?" Hiccup asked me holding my hand tightly as we now stood in front of the mead hall. Filled with all the townspeople. Expecting a meeting from their chief, boy were they going to be surprised.

"ready as I'll ever be..." I say, I squeeze Hiccups hand in return, in hope that his company will make things better.

He opened the doors, as I followed closely behind. Everyone's eyes turned towards the now open doors.

As their eyes met mine, their expression changed and they all gasped. I heard someone shout,

"witch!" and another one shout,

"demon!" I just wanted to get whoever said that and-

"Astrid it's alright I'm here," Hiccup told me. He had seen my expression and tried to soothe me. My expression softened and my facial muscles relaxed. I squeezed his hand tighter as we made our way through the crowd.

As he pulled me along through a gap that the villagers had made for Hiccup and me, they all glared at me with hatred and disgust. I felt my eyes begin to tear up as I imagined many of the possible things that could be going through their minds right now.

I turn my head away from their looks of disgust and just follow Hiccup. Hiccup helps me up onto the stage, I look at him.

"I can't do this Hiccup," I tell him shaking my head and letting a tear fall as he quickly wipes it away so that the villagers don't see.

"don't worry I'm here..." he reassures me. I smile at him. We look at the villages who begin to rant, shouting out insults and asking

"what's going on?" and

"why is she here?" I was hurt but tried not to show it. I could see the twins at the back egging them all on, telling them to shake their fists, even though they had no idea what they were going on about. I shake my head, kind of annoyed but also amused, I had missed the twins a lot, I know it seems strange, but it's true, what would life be like without the twins?

"I know you all must be scared, I know what you're all thinking, but would you all please SHUT UP! And let Astrid speak!" Hiccup boomed. I was surprised, I didn't think that he could do that. The villagers became quiet, a few hushed whispers throughout the large crowd but nothing more. He nodded his head at me, giving me the signal to speak. I smile weakly at him and give him a nod back, before loosening his hand from my sweaty one and stepping forward to the centre of the stage. I raise my hands up, readying myself to speak. I clear my throat and begin,

"I am Astrid Hofferson, I know what you're all thinking, I know what you all say about me. I am not invisible, I am not a ghost. I am alive, breathing, heart beating. I can hear every word you say, I can feel the hurt from the words you speak. But I don't blame you. Days ago I was dead, you had my funeral, you watched my body burn upon my death ship.

That was a lie," I hear a few gasps from the crowd and a few more hushed whispers. "I am not dead, but I was merely in a death like coma. I was put in it by none other than the princess Merida of Dunbroch. A witch at the kingdom of Dunbroch awakened me and I came here, somewhere I thought I would truly belong, but apparently not. Thank you..." I turn away from them and walk back over to Hiccup. He has a wide smile on his lips.

I hear a faint clap from within the crowd, it gets louder as everyone joins in. I look back at them.

It's funny how in a split second people's opinions and views can change in an instant. I was no longer hated, but revered as the girl who lived.

I ran over and hugged Hiccup, to a few wolf whistles from the crowd. We both turned a deep red. Thankfully Hiccups mum had left to assist to some urgent chief business elsewhere. We wanted her to know that we were together when the time came.

We walked through the crowd of clapping villagers. My head held high, very different to when I had first walked in, with shame and embarrassment. People patted mine and Hiccups backs as we went by.

We walked out of the mead hall finally. Some of the villagers beginning to disperse too, others beginning to eat their supper in the company of others. We were heading to Hiccups house once again, when we were stopped by four tallish vikings.

I looked up to see the gang standing there with smiles plastered on their faces.

"we're glad you're back," Fishlegs started.

"and I still can't believe you chose that over this!" Snotlout exclaimed gesturing to himself. I chuckled.

"and we can't believe you had to stop all that shouting! We were actually getting somewhere-" said Tuff annoyed.

"yeah! It might have actually ended with the entire hall blowing up!" Ruff finished, and Tuff begun again,

"now that would be amazing! Who do we talk to about that?" we just shook our heads at them.

"so is that a yes?" asked Ruff hopefully. The twins will always be the twins.

"just come here..." I said lunging myself at them. Hugging them all in my arms.

"awww, group hug Meatlug!" oh no. Moments later and I was at the bottom of the towering pile with Meatlug sat on top.

This was a great day, I finally had my life back, and nobody was going to take it from me...

HEY GUYS! SORRY IF IT'S LATE! IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO THINK THIS UP. I THINK IT'S SWEET. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT, I KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE THINKING ABOUT ASTRIDS MORNING SICKNESS... MAYBE, MAYBE NOT... WE WILL SEE. I HAVE BIG AND I MEAN BIG PLANS!
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