I will save you

Chapter 21: Welcome Home

Hiccup's POV

The deafening sound of an entire village cheering greeted us as we gently touched down outside our home. I gave Toothless a well-deserved pat on the neck before I slid off him and offered my hand to Astrid.

For a moment, she just blankly stared at it, like I was pointing a knife to her throat, but she eventually gave in and placed her hand in mine. A forced smile was plastered on her face as she shyly waved at our people, who were overjoyed to have their missing chieftess back home.

Our friends, my mother and Gobber all pushed their way through the crowd, running up to greet us. Ruffnut threw her arms around Astrid, who was stiff as a stick. "Astrid! My gods, I can't believe you're back!"

"We didn't think you were dead for a single second!" Tuffnut pointed out, earning an eye roll both from me and from Snotlout.

"Oh please! You were the one that was busy running around the village preaching that we would never see Astrid again." Snotlout remarked and I clenched my fists as my jaw tightened. Let's just say Tuffnut and I had a long talk after that day.

Astrid cleared her throat, her voice low as she spoke: "Well, I'm back. No need to worry, anymore."

I furrowed my brows at her. What had he done to her? Where was my fiery, snappy and sometimes playfully violent wife? As I was busy with my thoughts, my mother and Gobber decided to speak with Astrid, who only replied every once in a while with very few words.

A soft coo snapped me out of my daze. I glanced down at the source of the sound and found my best friend staring up at me with those big grass-green eyes, head tilted slightly as he nudged my good leg with his snout. "I'm fine, bud, don't worry."

I patted the dragon on its head before making my way over to Astrid, who was looking very uncomfortable with being the center of attention. I brought a hand up to her elbow, grabbing it as softly as I could, but I still earned a flinch. Once again I couldn't help but wonder what had made her so ... jumpy. "It's been a long day, for the both of us. I think Astrid and I will go to bed early. The show's over everyone!"

Snotlout and Tuffnut giggled like little school girls as the crowd around us dispersed. A grin lit up Snotlout's face as he spoke: "Make sure not to be too loud, lovebirds!"

Astrid paled at his words, her shoulders tightening as she seemed to shrink back. I brushed off Snotlout's comment as we made our way inside, making sure to let in Toothless before I shut the door.

"Astrid, What's going on?" I asked her, worry etched into every crevice of my face.

A wild look flashed across Astrid's face as she began pacing around the house, desperately searching for ... something. "Where is she?"

I furrowed my brows. "Where is who?"

"Where's STORMFLY? She saved me! She came for me! Where is my dragon? I need my dragon!" She cried out as she began flipping furniture, as if she was searching for her dragon and the large creature was hiding under it.

I blinked as I took a step back from her, putting myself a safe distance away from whatever chaos was going on. I attempted to share a look with Toothless, but instead found him intensely staring at Astrid. "Astrid ... Stormfly was just behind us, I'm sure she's just gone to the stables for some food."

"No, no, no. Not this again. Not again." Astrid whimpered as she sank to the floor, clawing at her face. "STORMFLY! STORMFLY!"

For the first time in what felt like ages, I had absolutely no idea what to do. I had no clue how to help my clearly struggling wife with whatever she was going through and the only thing I could think of was calling on Gothi. But before I even had the chance to react, something strange happened.

Toothless slinked up to her, large eyes set on the rambling woman crumbled on the floor. I attempted to take a step forward, in an attempt to follow Toothless, but instead I received a hostile hiss from the King of Dragons as his pupils narrowed into slits, his back arched, and the spines on his back glowed an electric blue. I took a step back as I observed the scene before me.

Toothless circled Astrid a few times before he laid down around her, shielding her from my view with the help of his dark wings and long tail. I furrowed my brows as I watched the two of them. What the hell was happening?

But before I even had the chance to process what was happening, a familiar screech sounded from outside. I opened the door and found myself face-to-face with Stormfly, who looked frantic as she was attempting to squeeze herself into our home. "Hey, Hey! Stay outside before you manage to hurt yourself, girl."

But the Nadder was manic. She repeatedly screeched, flapped her wings and violently swung her spiky tail around as if we had stolen her most precious belonging and she was in dire need to get it back. Toothless seemed to understand what she was ranting about and cooed back at her, as if he was reassuring her that everything was going to be fine. Slowly, his wings opened and out sprung a feverish-looking Astrid, who passed right by me without as much as a glance and threw her arms around the neck of her dragon, who instantly calmed down at the sight of her rider.

As Astrid was busy clinging onto her dragon for dear life, I turned to the dragon I had once called my best friend. I narrowed my eyes at him as I remembered how he had hissed at me earlier. I crossed my arms as I blocked his view of Astrid and Stormfly —who were still in the middle of their embrace. "What the Hel was that for?"

Toothless sat down on his butt and nodded towards Astrid, his pupils no longer narrowed and now normally dilated. I scoffed at him. "Yes, thank you for that, but you didn't have to hiss at me!"

Toothless huffed as his gaze travelled to Astrid and Stormfly, who were now no longer in an embrace. Astrid seemed to have calmed down and she know looked much better than she had mere seconds before. Red claw marks still streaked her face, but they were already fading as she cautiously made her way back to me.

"I'm sorry about that." She muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. My eyes burned into her, but she refused to meet my gaze.

"Astrid, I'm sorry I didn't do anything, I just—"

"It's not your fault." She cut me off. "None of it. I made my choice and now I have to live with it."

I arched a brow at her. "Astrid, what are you talking about?"

She sniffled before she turned to her dragon, shooting her a gesture that I recognized as the sign for 'you can go now'. She turned back to me, eyes glued to the floor. "I ... I think I should take the couch tonight."

"What?" I breathed. She didn't even want to sleep in the same room as me anymore? Painful memories gnawed at the back of my mind. "Is it because of ... me?"

She closed her eyes as her forehead creased. "I just need some space, Hiccup, that's all."

"Oh, alright." I cleared my throat. "You deserve a nice, warm bed after ... all you've been through. I'll take the couch."

Astrid sighed. "Alright, if you say so."

And then she just trudged up the stairs, without so much as a 'goodbye' or anything.

If I ever saw Sigurd again, I swore I would tear him to ribbons.