Let's Give it a Year

Chapter 47

"What in Thor's name?" Astrid asked herself as she looked around the familiar room, an unwelcome sense of dread filling her body as her eyes landed upon two approaching figures. "Why am I here again?" She muttered to herself as the faces became clearer, and her father emerged from the crowd with Alvin following closely behind.

"Astrid! There you are, my beautiful daughter!" Thorald wrapped his arm around Astrid's shoulder, being a bit too familiar with his daughter than he normally was. His heavy arm bruised Astrid's shoulders as she hesitantly looked over to the large man with her father.

"This is your daughter?" Alvin asked, raising a gentle eyebrow at Thorald before turning back to Astrid with a fiendish gaze. Thorald squeezed Astrid's shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"Why, yes. Of course!" Thorald announced, as though he was showing off his prize horse. "She's pretty one, isn't she? The only one I've got!" He laughed haughtily, a devilish smile covering his features as he looked over to Alvin who shared his expression.

Astrid wanted to shrink and run away, in fact, that was what she was desperately trying to do. However, her father's grip and weight upon her shoulders were trapping her in place. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for any signs of Hiccup anywhere, but she couldn't find any.

"Who are you looking for, my dear?" Astrid inwardly cringed at the name her father had just given her. However, she smiled shyly up towards her father and spoke gently in reply.

"I'm looking for Hiccup, my husband," Astrid announced, continuing her search for Hiccup around the room.

Yet, Thorald's laughter cut her search short as she turned towards her father with a confused look across her face. Her father's laughter was loud and obnoxious and Astrid could tell it was slightly derisive.

"What?" She asked, confused by his reaction to her seemingly normal actions.

"You don't have a husband, Astrid. And who is this Hiccup? What kind of a name is that?" Thorald laughed again, Alvin beginning to laugh along with him. But Astrid's expression fell and her heart dropped dramatically.

"What do you mean? You married me off to him. He's Stoick Haddock's son!" Astrid defended, her fists balled up in fear as she began predicting Thorald's next answer. She just didn't want it to be true.

"Stoick Haddock's son? Astrid, Stoick never had a son." Thorald replied.

Astrid felt her heart stop and her lungs collapse. No air could be let into her body as she felt dizzy and extremely nauseous. The room began spinning and her head felt heavy. She wanted to run away but her father's arm was keeping her locked in place.

"I need some air..." Astrid announced, but as she tried to walk away, her father pulled her back towards Alvin.

"Perhaps Alvin here could take you outside? I'm sure he'd be more than happy to spend some more time with you..." Thorald's voice diminished slightly as Astrid was taken across the room towards the deck outside by Alvin's forceful grip.

Outside, there were no people and no way to look back inside the grand hall behind them. They were all alone. Once the doors shut to the inside, Astrid was thrust against the wall by Alvin, and his intimidating stare was locked onto Astrid's and it was clear what he was intending to do.

"You know, your father was right..." Astrid furrowed a brow whilst pushing her hands against his chest to get him away from her. "You are a fighter." He smiled devilishly and lunged towards her neck, intending to kiss her there. "I like that..."

"No!" Astrid yelled, sitting up violently in her bed. Sweat was pouring from her forehead and her heart was racing in her chest. She put her hand to her head in exasperation as she recalled what she had just seen. "Was it just a dream?"