The Rise of Light (Book 3: Together Forever)

Explanations

Astrid's POV

I watched as Toothless and Delta flew off into the distance. It was Dreamchaser's idea to make them go find Hiccup and apologize to him.

Dreamchaser, Stormfly and I walked into the New Great Hall and found that it was way overcrowded. 

"How in the name of all the gods did so many dragons find out about this?" I wondered aloud. Then the answer came to me just as Dreamchaser said it.

"Stardust."

"Of course. She is the biggest gossip on the Earth," I mumbled.

Then suddenly dragons caught sight of us and the New Great Hall began to slowly drop into silence before everyone started asking us questions.

I closed my eyes, "Okay, three... two... one... ENOUGH!!!" I yelled as loud as I could. And the silence this time was immediate and stayed that way. "Everyone who is not part of Dreamchaser's family, leave!"

All of the dragons left except for the twenty family members at the back and Forestflame.

I walked up to them and sat down taking my first real breather in five years.

I was about to tell them what happened when the gang walked in while carrying Ruffnut. They were closely followed by their dragons.

"We need Delta!" Fishlegs yelled. 

I took one look at what had happened and said, "Rowan, can you deal with this?" And gestured to Ruffnut's arm which was dripping blood from a huge cut.

Rowan, however, was already running to the emergency kit on the side of Forestflame.

"Woah! Guys! I must be seeing things cause there are like fifty dragons and no Delta," Tuffnut said making them notice that Delta wasn't here at all and that it was the twenty-four of us and the seven of them.

"You aren't seeing things, Tuff," Fishlegs said. "Although there aren't fifty dragons more like twenty. Oh, hi Valka, hi Rowan. What are they all doing here?"

"We're waiting for an explanation from them." She said and pointed to me, Stormfly and Dreamchaser.

"Wait! Guys, I just realized there's a strange person over there with blonde hair. She looks AWESOME!" Tuffnut shouted.

Ruffnut who had clearly just woken up said, "What? Where!"

"Dream, could you shield me. I am so not ready to be tackled by them."

She lifted her wing and covered me, but was too late, sadly. Cause Fishlegs screamed and five seconds later I was in a tight embrace by the entire gang.

"Son of a half-troll, rat-eating, munge-bucket," I said.

"Sorry." Dream whined.

"Not your fault. I'm just so tired and haven't gotten enough sleep in... years." I wheezed out the last word because I couldn't breathe anymore. "Okay, enough." When they didn't move I yelled, "Enough!"

They all pulled back and muttered apologies.

"It's okay. I'm just exhausted."

Then the inevitable happened, "My princess, I can't believe you would stay away for so long. I was so worried that you would die!"

"For the last time, Snotlout." I started and before the could blink I was bending his arm behind his back, "If you ever call me your princess again, I will show you exactly what I've learned in the past five years."

"Same old, Astrid," Tuffnut muttered.

"Anyway, I am engaged to your cousin. Which some people drove away after I spent literal years trying to find him. So!" I turned to face everyone else. "What happened was I found Hiccup with, Rowan's, Heather's, Windshear's, Forestflame's, and Stormfly's help. Then an hour after we returned Toothless yelled at him and then Delta yelled at him. Oh ya, also he forgot pretty much everything. Anyway, then after Delta yelled at him Dreamchaser, here, followed him out to a sea stack because he was leaving. And then she came and told me. So we sent Toothless and Delta to go find him again and to apologize." I smiled." Any questions?"

"Wait. I need to tell everyone something," Dreamchaser said. "Rowan, he told me to tell you that he's sorry for breaking his promise, but he thinks it's better if he left because he respects Toothless's wishes and he still loves you. Mist and Eclipse, he told me to tell you that he's happy you found the remains of your families. And he told me to tell everyone else that he loves you all and that he wishes he could have seen you again."

"Wait... Hiccup's alive?" Fishlegs asked hesitantly.

I looked him in the eyes, tears flowing down my face, "Yes. That's why I'm here. Because I found him and brought him home."

Hiccup's POV

I flew close to the ocean, occasionally gliding with one of my wings in the cool water below. The invisibility that I'd used had worn off hours ago.

I looked at my reflection. There were a few ties I'd left behind in the Hidden World and I somewhat regretted it. But I knew it was best that I left. I felt the tears run down my face.

"Hiccup?" I felt the bond that held me and Astrid together sing.

"I'm here." I thought back to her.

It was a minute before I heard a response, "Come home to me."

"I can't."

"Hiccup, come home to your family."

"I can't." And with that, I blocked the communication. For now at least. I'll let her back in when she understands.

I didn't know where I was headed. Just that I had to go.

Hours later my wings began to tire and I landed on a beautiful island filled with flowers and caves. While pine trees filled the north end of the island and a lake right in the middle of it.

I fell asleep while hanging under a tree near the lake.

It was midnight when I awoke. I heard whispers coming from the bond.

"I can't!" I cried out and they stopped. "I love you, Astrid. But, I need to stay away. You know that. I miss you."

"Hiccup... I love you and I want you to come back. But, if you need time I'll stop asking." I sagged in relief.

"Thank you, Astrid. I'm sorry for blocking you. I just didn't want... I couldn't... talk at the moment."

"I wish I could be with you right now. Just promise you'll come back someday."

"I can't promise that, but I can go back to Berk. Someday. Not now. But someday."

"Okay. Let me know when you're there and I'll meet you there two days later."

"I promise. Good night, Astrid."

"' Night, Hiccup."

I fell back asleep under the star-filled sky.