Fate is a tricky one ~ HTTYD RUNAWAY

Part 2 ~ Ch 5 - I love you

This might be a hard read but I am content with this chapter. Don't worry... I cried too.
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Morning light showered on the wounded empress' head as she slowly opened her eyes. She finally registered that she was in her own room. Still in a daze, she looked around feeling like something was missing.

Hiccup.

Astrid started panicking as she recalled the previous events. As she tried to get up, an agonizing pain swept across her body and she tried to hold back her cry. Astrid wouldn't let a bit of pain stop her from finding her husband.

Astrid dragged herself across the halls and found that they were all empty. Eventually she found herself at the entrance to the great hall.

She pushed open the doors and found the entire Einvaldian and Berkian army, as well as many allies. There were even some Romans.

Astrid was broke from her trance when she felt painful arms wrap around her. Hugging her was a sobbing Valka. "I- I didn't know if- if you would wake." she said through shaking sobs.

She eventually found the strength to hug her back. "How long have I been out?" The blonde said as she raised Valka's wet face. Valka swallowed as she said, "A week".

The empress' eyes widened as she realized how bad everything had been. Hiccup must have been so worried. Astrid finally asked the question she had been wondering the whole time, "Where is Hiccup?"

Astrid saw that an entire crowd had been formed around her. She didn't care, she just wanted to see Hiccup.

Valka's face went pale and couldn't seem to form any words. Astrid was about to ask what was wrong when she saw Heather running straight into Astrid's arms. "Oh you worried me sick! How are you? Are you in pain? Lets get you back to bed." Astrid chuckled.

"Hold on, i'm still trying to grasp what is going on here." Astrid explained. Eret walked toward the group as he started his explanation, "I am glad to see that you are well. As you can see, we have gathered our allies from the farthest regions for a reason. Our last battle with Grimmel has opened our eyes to what we are up against. We have been planing a counter-attack on Grimmel ever since you and the emperor were captured."

Astrid was very impressed with Erets tactics, "You have done well captain. I assume that we have tripled our weaponry and armadas?" Eret nodded. "Thank you for your loyalty Eret."

Everyone nodded in approval to the captains plans. Heather was the first to speak again, " Astrid, Valka and I should fill you in on a few things." she said as Valka nodded.

~

They helped Astrid walk to a more private room. They ended up going back to Hiccup and Astrid's bedroom. Valka sat Astrid on the bed and started tending to any immediate wounds.

Astrid broke the ice with the question that no one would answer, "Where is my husband?" she asked with a more stern voice. Valka suddenly stopped and Heather sat by Astrid and cupped her hands on her cheeks.

"Hiccup received many severe wounds while you were both captured he-" Astrid started shaking her head. "Hiccup can survive anything. Just tell me where he is so I can help him."

Astrid made it even harder for Heather to say the words. Valka couldn't look at anything but the ground as her whole body shook. "The- the wounds were too much. His body couldn't handle all of the trauma from Grimmel's torture." Heather paused," ...He didn't make it."

Astrid's world shattered at those words. She felt like her heart had been ripped apart. The devastating reality of her husband's death hit her harder than Thor's hammer, leaving her speechless.

Astrid wanted to scream, shout, break something; but her body was somehow paralyzed. She couldn't even cry as she felt Healther and Valka embrace her. Suddenly her body caught up to her mind. Astrid began wailing in Heathers arms, praying this was all a horrible nightmare.

After what felt like a lifetime, the three devastated women found themselves curled up on the bed while Valka caressed Astrid's face. Astrid finally mustered up enough strength to talk, "I want to see his body." she said with a cracked voice.

Valka nodded as they got up and led the broken empress to her dead husband.

~

They finally made it to a guarded steel door. "You may leave your posts." Astrid said to the guards. Then she looked to Valka and Heather, " I need to do this alone."

~

Astrid pushed open the heavy door and found a long table. On that table was the shape of a body covered with a bloody sheet. She couldn't even take a step before she collapsed on the wall in her grief.

Astrid didn't care about the pain from her wounds. She couldn't feel anything but her pounding heart. She knew what was under the covers but she thought that as long as she didn't see his body that he wasn't dead. Hiccup was probably on a flight with Toothless. Maybe he was in the forge inventing a new tool.

She walked up to the table and pulled back part of the bloody sheet. Under it was a beaten up face; but she instantly recognized that still perfect face. She started crying as she cupped her husbands face and bent down for one last kiss. It broke her when she didn't feel anything back. His lips were cold and tasted of blood.

Astrid climbed on the table and lay beside the body. She clung onto him as if it would somehow bring him back. She kept hoping to feel his firm arm wrap around her. "I love you".  Astrid's words were drowned by her sobs.

~

After a lost amount of hours, Astrid heard the doors open. She heard Valka gasp and she felt arms around her, but she didn't care. She wouldn't let go.

Eventually, Astrid had to be pulled off of her dead husband. " No! Let me go!" She struggled, "He needs me!"

~

Every day seemed like a plague. The night after Hiccup's ceremony was a mess. The whole village was grieving the greatest leader they could have.

Astrid created her own solitude. She wouldn't see anyone, even her own dragon. Nuffink didn't understand that his father was gone. It made things much harder for Astrid everytime he asked when his dad would be back.

The war preparations were still ongoing and Astrid coulnd't wait to bash Grimmel's skull in. She had been sleeping with Nuffink since they both couldn't sleep and she spent the nights dreaming about different ways to kill that bastard.

Almost four months pregnant, Astrid needed to keep her body healthy and that meant that she needed to stop breaking down everytime someone mentioned Hiccup.

The Empire had mostly rebuilt itself after Grimmel's last attack on the main island. The people were more than ready to make sure that they got revenge for their losses.

~

Astrid sat on the balcony watching the sunset with Nuffink cuddled in her arms. She couldn't believe that her and her husband created something so amazing. The little boy in her arms was a piece of Hiccup that would always be with her.

She loved how much Nuffink looked like his father. The only difference was his hair color, which he inherited from Astrid. She had a feeling that he would get his smarts too. Astrid fell in love with Hiccup for so many reasons, including his intelligence. He could create an empire out of nothing.

Astrid looked down and found Nuffink asleep, "I love you- so much" she whispered as she traced his face and watching the evening turn to night.

More is coming soon. Sorry for the sad ending but it is all a buildup for Astrid's rage so she can defeat Grimmel.

Thanks Sophia657032 for reminding me to update ;)