My little Flower (HiccupxOC, part 1 of Grimborn Family AU)

Chapter 64 - Nanna's lesson

Lilly's POV

My fault. Everything is my fault, even my own brother believes that. All because I can talk to dragons...why, why me?

Tears blinded me as I turned, slamming the entrance door behind me and ran as quickly as my legs could carry me, bolting down the path that leads to the Grimborn house like I could escape my dark thoughts if I would only run fast enough, quickening my pace to an all out sprint. I had no idea where I was heading, all I knew was that I wanted to get as far away as possible, that I needed to keep running. Not stopping for anything. Distance, that's all that mattered.

I felt the painful sting of the pebbles on my bare feet, but I didn't care. The image of grandfather and Ryker being murdered rushed through my mind again and with it came a pang of guilt, I felt like I would suffocate under the weight of it. All because of me. And so I ran, on and on, ignoring the calls of Valka and Stoick as I crossed their path. I had no time now, I couldn't stop - I couldn't.

Soon enough I left the town behind me and spurted into the forest, till my legs gave in. With a cry I fell face forward onto the earth and wheezed for air. The sound of my hammering heart ridiculously loud in my ears. Sobbing, I pushed myself off the ground and stumbled forward, my arms wrapped around my stomach - it stung. But I needed to get further away. I followed a path that led me uphill along a rapidly flowing stream and soon the forest thinned and I stepped out onto a clearing. Still out of breath I let my gaze wander around. I never went this far away from the village before and now the only sound I could hear was my own ragged breathing, the chirping of birds and the squeaking sound of a few terrible terrors in the distance. I was completely alone, or so I thought. Until a voice startled me.

"Ah Lilly, how nice of you to come and help me."

I spun around to come face to face with Nanna, who was crouching in the grass next to two woven baskets and obviously collecting something. She got up from her position and eyed me up and down, her gaze lingering a little longer on my bare feet. I must've looked like a mess for I could see her frown before she clicked her tongue and shoved one of the baskets into my hands.

It took me several seconds to realize what was going on and I dumbly stared down at the basket in my hands while Nanna returned to her previous work without paying me another glance. I shook my head lightly to clear it and took a step forward to the elder woman.

"What...no...Nanna I'm sorry, I can't... I'm running away..." I stammered and stretched my basket holding arm out to her.

Nanna chuckled under her breath but didn't look up. "No you're not, my dear."

Realizing she wouldn't take the basket from me, I let my arm drop to my side. "No, I'm serious Nanna..." I began with lowered head and stared at my feet.

Nanna just chuckled again, her back still turned on me. "You're not going to run away, Lilly. We both know that. If that's what you really wanted to do, you'd be flying on your dragons back across the ocean right now. But instead you are standing here in the middle of the forest, holding a basket." She turned her head a little to meet my eyes and I shifted from one foot to the other at her intense stare. "So as you're obviously going nowhere, you might as well help me harvest these little babies here. We will need plenty of them."

I let out a ragged sigh and wiped my tears away with the back of my hand. She was right. No matter how much I wanted to avoid my brother, I would not leave like this. Especially not without Hiccup. Maybe he would take me with him if we talked later. I was almost certain he would. But in the meantime it would do no harm if I helped Nanna harvesting whatever... Curiosity got the better of me and I knelt down beside her, putting the basket to the side and peeked into Nanna's to see what she was talking about.