A world without you

Chapter 42 - Astrid's POV

After a while the ripples on the water faded out and the water was calm once again. Viggo Grimborn was dead. Even though everything he had done I felt sad for him, he didn't deserve to die like that.
A quiet thump sounded behind me when Toothless landed on the grass. I turned around and before I could do anything else Hiccup's arms were around me. He held me in a tight but comforting embrace. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and finally felt safe.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked worried to death. His familiar concern and embrace made me forget about all my own worries for a few moments. Then I got back to reality. And in reality, I was dying.
"I'm fine." I nodded calming. He relaxed but didn't let go of me, which was good because his embrace was the only thing I needed.
"He's gone." Valka stated as she walked up to us together with Stoick after the dragon hunters had ran away.
"I tried to save him." I look back at the water regretfully.
"You did everything you could." Hiccup reassured me.
"And now he won't be a threat ever again." Heather nodded but I didn't feel that much better. Dying really gets you down.
Then I heard my mothers voice call out for me and only seconds later I found myself in her arms. It made me feel just as safe and comforted as the times when she had held me during the thunderstorms when I was young. The tears that I had held in were threatening to fall but I held them back with all I had. If I cried they would wonder what was wrong and I couldn't tell Hiccup yet. Eventually my mother let go of me and instead just stroked my head. My dad stood behind her with a relieved smile.
"My darling." She smiled. "I'm so proud of you."
Those words made it feel a little bit better.
Then Valka chose to step forward.
"About Astrid..." She started and looked at me with a compassionate look in her eyes. I shook my head as desperately and discreet as I could at the same time. Her look changed to confusion.
"...She has a wedding to go to. As do you Hiccup and all of us. We should go before everyone starts to worry." Heather stepped in and saved the day. I shot her a look that I hoped held all the thanks I could ever give someone. Valka and Ruffnut seemed to understand and nodded.
"You go ahead. We'll meet you there." I said to Hiccup and he nodded. But he didn't leave before have given me a kiss on the cheek.
"See you there." He smiled and left on Toothless with the rest of the group except for Valka, Ruffnut and Heather, who all looked questioning at me.
"Why didn't you tell them?" Heather asked.
"I want today." They didn't look like they understood so I took a breath before trying to explain in a good way. "You know Hiccup, he would just worry and think about nothing else than finding a cure. It will take his happiness away and I can't do that to him, not today at least. I want today to be just as perfect as we thought it would be. I want one last day of pure happiness before we have to try to find a cure, which probably won't be easy. And if... if Viggo was right and there is no cure, then I want this last day of happiness and hope before everything gets ruined."
Their expression were unreadable but maybe that was just the tears in my eyes blurring my vision.
"We understand." Valka nodded with a weak smile and pulled me into another hug.
"I promise that I will tell him tomorrow." I promised them honestly. I would have to find the strength to do it somehow.
"And we will find a cure." Heather nodded determined
"Yeah, I won't let you go to Valhalla before me." Ruffnut agreed and I couldn't help but smile.
"My dress is a mess." I chuckled when I looked down at the wrinkled and dirty clothing that once was my wedding dress.
"Hiccup will be too busy staring at your face. Now let's get you to that wedding." Heather winked.