Dark Valkyrie

Eighteen: Broken

Eighteen: Broken

He turned the medallion over and over in his hand, fingers absently exploring every tiny imperfection, every variation in the familiar contour as he tried to understand what had happened. Hiccup took a shaking sigh and closed his eyes, rerunning that day, under the sun at the edge of the market as he had finally given her the gift she deserved...

"Astrid..."

"I...er...I need to check on Stormfly..."

"No-no, you don't."

"I don't?" She had looked so uncertain, her blue eyes filled with unfamiliar anxiety. He remembered feeling light-headed with adrenaline as he faced the girl he loved, his desire to make the moment perfect.

"No-you need to stand right here and...and take this in." The medallion was cool in his hand as he had fished it from his satchel and then he had shown it to her, praying she wouldn't scorn a gift that wasn't silver or gold but more precious than either. "This was my father's betrothal gift to my mother." Her eyes had widened as he placed it around her neck. "And he gave it to me-to give to you." Her soft gasp had worried him as she cradled the gift in her hands, her azure gaze sweeping over the old fashioned design and her expression unreadable. "Astrid-you're a part of our family-you always have been. And, I hope, you always will be."

But his gentle, hopeful words had been met by a sigh and she had looked away, making his heart clench with fear that she hated the gift-and maybe regretted agreeing to his Proposal at all. But he had rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. "Er...well...if you don't like it..." he began but she had looked back, the unfamiliar sight of an uncertain Astrid causing him to still.

"Hiccup-I...it's beautiful. It's perfect!" she told him, easing a little of the pressure in his chest. "It's just I-I didn't get you a gift..." She looked unhappy. "I don't know what to get and I..." His heart soared in relief.

"Astrid-you got me the greatest gift in the world. You!" And she had smiled then, her unhappiness easing and her hands curling around his as he took them. "You being here with me-is all the gift I need."

"And you still are," he sighed, opening his eyes to stare at the medallion once more. "I need you more than ever." Quietly, he raised it to his lips and kissed it-before he slipped it over his neck and slid it under his tunic. And then he winced as the burned skin of his brand pulled. "Or maybe this is you telling me that it's over-because you can't marry a slave. Because you can't be with someone who isn't a person any more. Because I'm no longer worthy of you."

And though his heart knew Astrid wasn't that shallow, his fears were swirling around him like a fog. He loved her desperately and to wake and find his Betrothal gift in his hand meant that she had returned and not spoken to him. That she had sneaked in and left him once more. And worse, she had spoken to his father...but hadn't stayed to discuss with him. And his fists clenched in anger and disappointment and just plain despair as he stared down across the village from the space outside the Great Hall. Toothless was curled at his back, refusing to leave him because the Night Fury had sensed that he was in pain and unhappy...

"Hey, H-how're things?" Tuff interrupted him, walking out of the Great Hall, chewing on a hunk of mutton.

"Not great, Tuff," he said. "Just kinda want to be alone right now." The male twin ignored him and sat by him.

"Nah-you need someone here, cheering you up," he insisted and peered at him. "You got any cool scars from Viggo?" Hiccup stiffened and stared down the village.