Until They Can Return in Peace - How to Train Your Dragon

Chapter 38 - Astrid

*Author's Note*

So the pace of the last chapter was kind of quick! A whirl wind! This is the time we've all been waiting for! The ultimate smack-down!

I hope you guys enjoy! Thank you for 5.5k!

And yes, the drawing up above is mine! Been playing around with that as well!

On to Astrid!

- k.r.

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"You're never a screwup Hiccup", I say and he doesn't look at me.

We try to find a way to open the bars but no luck.

Hiccup and I screamed for help for about an hour until we finally give up.

We know someone will come looking for us eventually. I just pray to the gods that they just fled the island and didn't attack Berserker.

I have never seen Hiccup in such despair. A wave of hopelessness drowned the joy and hope from his eyes.

He couldn't walk due to the lack of a leg, so he'd hop around the cell screaming his lungs out.

"HELP! Dagur?! Mala?! ANYBODY!"

"Hiccup! It's useless! We just have to wait it out. Someone will come for us", I say and he slips to the ground.

"Ugh! Astrid I'm so sorry... I put our lives at risk again. Now we can't get home to the kids and New Berk is vulnerable to attacks, they'll have no idea what's coming...", he rambles but I stop him.

"Hiccup... it's alright... we're going to get out of this. Once again, yes, I was right..."

He rolls his eyes as I see tears form.

"But I came with you because I believed in you. As impossible as I thought this idea would be, I never stop supporting you. I am with you", I say and he looks at me undeservingly.

I sit beside him and I wrap my arms around him.

"After all these years. And all the junk I have put you through, you still remain my rock. I just... I won't ever understand", he says as tears fall.

I am reminded of the time Zephyr broke one of my clay pots, that I loved, in the kitchen a couple of years ago. She felt terrible and cried for a solid thirty minutes because she was worried I would be so angry and not love her anymore.

"Hiccup, I love you with all of my heart. It is my honor to love you and support you through life as my husband. But things fall apart and we make mistakes. Like when Zephyr broke my flour pot in the kitchen. I had to remind her that the things that happen don't define how much I love her. We just pick up the broken pieces and clean up the mess. But remember to be cautious next time we handle such a big task", I say running my fingers through his hair.

He's my husband and best friend. From the very vows I wrote to the very last breath I take, I will remain his wife and best friend.

He sits up with a small ray of hope bringing the color back in his face, but not completely.

He cuffs my cheek ever so gently, "There is no one else in the world I'd rather walk through my mess with"

He plants a passionate kiss upon my cold lips.

"Astrid you're freezing", I say.

"It's alright"

"No here!", he takes off his leather armor jacket and wraps it around me, leaving him just in his tunic.