Chapter 44: I'll Find You

Astrid

I didn't want to leave Hiccup alone, the look in my eyes when we separated from each other said it all but the look he was sharing back at me told a different story. Inside he believed he was going to be okay, that he could handle what we were doing, that nothing was going to happen to him so I should just let him go. Yet there was that gut feeling clenching inside me which was telling me something felt off about this whole situation, nothing was going to go smoothly, something or someone would make an interference and let everything we've worked hard to achieve would just blow up in our faces. I had to focus; I need to focus on being positive with an optimistic outcome but how is that possible when all my mind could focus on right now was Hiccup. He'd just come back into our lives, he'd just met his parent's again for the first time in years, I couldn't be the one who'd damage all that for him by putting him in a precarious situation...but I have done that. I've left him alone well not entirely alone he still has Toothless, but I still left him alone in these caves helping with this mission in Viggo's domain. I couldn't take the suspense any longer, I couldn't just stand here and do nothing I had to do something and that meant making sure he's okay especially to put my mind at ease because the suspense in not knowing is killing me.

I slammed my head up against the bars of one of cages I was standing next to and rubbed my eyes sighing heavily mumbling to myself looking round at the other cages which stood around me "I'll come back for you guys, I promise," I told them all as each of them looked at me or as some banged their weight up against the bars. I took one of the keys and unlocked the cage I was stood next to before creating a decent around the cave to try and find him. I was ruining my side of the mission I knew that, but with my heart hammering and my head screaming at me about Hiccup's well being I just had to find him. Even if he is okay, I wouldn't care I won't leave his side I just won't not until we're out of Viggo's domain and I know Hiccup is back home safely. I don't think it was just all this that was nagging at me, all day Hiccup's been acting weird he even seemed like it back on Berk after he was attacked maybe that was what feared me on the inside as well. Whoever attacked him back on Berk could possibly be following him right now trying to find another way to get at him; if this was true then I had to get back to him as soon as possible. Without knowing it I strut into a run, my heart was beating harder than ever, I had more adrenaline in my body to get him more than ever but as I did I found myself collapsing to the ground. "Astrid, what in Thor's name are you doing?" I shook my head from the blur taking over my eyes and noticed Heather standing looking down at me with her hand raised to help me back off the ground.

"I need to find Hiccup," I straight up told her but all I got back from her was an evident sigh of despair just as she shook her head at me obviously upset with the actions I was taking right now instead of following along with the mission. "Astrid, listen to me I'm sure he's fine. He has Toothless with him and all he's doing is freeing these dragons from their cages so Viggo can't sell them to the hunters and rich men which is exactly what we should be doing as well," but I could still hear my heart hammering at her words and my head screaming at me that it didn't matter what she was saying, none of it I needed to find him before it was too late. I knew Heather could see this in my eyes so she placed her hands on my shoulders so she could stare me dead in the eyes "Astrid, for once you have to trust that he'll be okay he's probably one of the strongest people I have ever met. He has gone through years of torment yet he's survived, you have to give him some credit for that alright," this time I actually paid attention to what Heather was trying to explain to me because she was right. He is one of the strongest people we've ever met, probably the strongest out of all of us so of course he would be able to handle himself. I've been getting myself worked up for nothing; everything was going to be okay. We'll free the dragons, get the others and leave.

That was when I spoke to soon, suddenly Heather was pulled down from behind and I could feel the scream that was about to escape my lips was muffled by the hand that was slapped against my face. Soon the arms were wrapped around me grasping hold me with extreme strength that every time I struggled against the weight it was no use. I was so worried about Hiccup I let my own guard down and it got me and Heather caught, if we were caught what would that mean about the others that was when the horrors of Hiccup entered my brain. My weight was suddenly being dragged across the shadowy darkness of the cave; the feeling felt as if it was going on forever and ever as the more Heather and I struggled against the me who've trapped us. It wasn't until I heard the sound of keys rattling and a familiar roar catch my attention; I stopped struggling for a few seconds so I could focus on what was starting to form right in front of me. I noticed the familiar black shape of a NightFury form and stood right next to it was a fragile figure ready to attack next to his friend but that didn't matter because once their eyes landed on mine that didn't bother attacking and knew they wouldn't. "Sorry Hiccup," Heather broke out from the man holding her for a second to apologise to our friend "That's okay Heather," but it wasn't okay, why was he being so calm about all this?

Immediately afterwards I watched as numerous hunters started to crowd the area particularly around Hiccup but before I knew it the image disappeared and he was gone, I could no longer see what I wanted to see because he gone. I could keep repeating that to myself over and over again but it wouldn't make a difference. My weight was immediately thrown to the ground as was Heather's but I didn't stay down for long as I automatically raced towards the opening only for the door to slam right back in my face; I slammed my hands against the bars as the hunters began walking away "Don't bother Astrid, cells are meant to keep people in not let people out," I spun round to see the rest of the gang standing there in the cell with their arms crossed but I focused on a ridiculous Snotlout who spoke up "I'm guessing you didn't play your role out effectively as you should have?" I tutted at him; he pushed his weight away from the wall he leant himself up against and glared at me pointing his finger towards the twins "Actually it was them who messed up the plan not me and please show respect to royalty," immediately I punched him in the face so he fell down to the ground "I think that's respect enough." I shook my hand from the force I took before I could start thinking again but that was cut off by Gobber's voice "Where's Hiccup?" I looked up at Gobber and said no word but feeling the guilt tear at my insides "Astrid, where's Hiccup?"

"Um, I don't think that matters right now," I looked over at Tuff so I could follow his gaze and when I looked to see where it landed I felt my eyebrows frown so a glare could form on my face as I saw the figure of Viggo stand in the light...well what little of it there was in the room. "Presuming this is all Berks gold, something tells me they're gonna hit their bottom line. But trust me the money will be going to a great cause, as are your dragons," as Viggo extended his arm outwards I noticed hunters stroll in Toothless already chained up ready to be sold and I couldn't help but let his name cry out from my lips but just seeing Toothless made me think of Hiccup who was nowhere to be seen. That's when my heart started to clench in fear once again "Where's Hiccup?!" but all Viggo but do as a reply would laugh at me "I was hoping you would ask that," I raised an eyebrow at the words he spoke of and just within a blink of an eye an small figure was smashed against the ground "Hiccup!" I cried out his name highlighting my fear including a shake to my voice. "I just want to thank you for bringing him back home where he rightfully belongs," just hearing those words sent a rush of adrenaline of anger through my blood, so much that I crashed my hands up against the bars sending an echoing rattles all around the cave but I couldn't help but look down on him. The fear that now escaped inside his eyes and the look of dread and failure towards me but he wasn't the one who failed me, I was the one who failed him. I knew I should have stayed with him and I didn't trust my instincts because now he was battered and bruised once again; scars written all across his body new pain inflicted on his body in ways he didn't deserve. This was my entire fault I let this happen to him, why didn't I stay with him, I should have stayed with him.

Before I could say anymore, before any of us could say anymore Ryker dragged Hiccup out of the cave but as he was dragged out you could tell that he was limb he couldn't move and he wouldn't even attempt to do so letting more anger pulse through every inch of me. Sooner than later everyone was gone which only left two guards and the rest of us in the cage. "We need to find a way out of here, we need to help him before it's too late," I turned round and ordered the rest of the gang; they all looked back at me nodding but we all didn't share confident faces because there was no way out of this cell. Out of the blue Gobber stepped between all of us and started throwing small little stones out of the cell "Um...Gobber what are you doing?" I asked him with curiosity but he just shifted his ear slightly to get a better sound from afar and that's when I heard it too as did the others. A load roar was soon heard coming from across the cave I followed the noise with my eyes and come round the corner a large dragon waddled across the room. "Help me Grump...please, please help me Grump," I looked at Gobber back to the dragon who is now named Grump before looking at the hunters who suddenly looked afraid at this dragon who decided to take attack. Before I could even blink the dragon knocked the two hunters out before coming towards the bars placing his nose against Gobber's hand with obvious trust. "It doesn't matter, these are dragon proof bars he'll never-," Fishlegs started but cut himself off as soon as the dragon demonstrated the words Fishlegs tried convincing us with.

I didn't wait, as soon as the bars were released from their hinges I took a run for it and I knew the others were right behind me. Along our way we set a few of the dragons free so that we could cause a disruption so once the fires started we all jumped through and looked around "Free your dragons, I'll get Toothless then we all get Hiccup back," everyone agreed and we all ran in our separate directions. I looked round to see if there was any sign of Hiccup but I couldn't see him anywhere nor could I see Viggo anywhere so immediately I ran to go and get Toothless but Ryker stood in my way "Ryker, give up it's over," he shook his head and laughed at me "Say's the female with no backup," he suddenly came to crash down on me before Gobber stepped in the way for me "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" I smiled at Gobber before making a run for it up the ramp towards Toothless. He smiled at me for a second as I rested my hand against his nose before he growled and indicated his head out into the open towards a ship speeding out to sea which only meant one thing – Hiccup was on that ship. I nodded at Toothless and pulled away at the chains at he was wrapped around in, he sprung off the wooden board he was attached to as soon as he could; I fixed his saddle and as soon as I was done he flipped me onto his back and sprung into a full on frenzy into the air sending the pair of us full speed towards the ship which was disappearing out of sight and before I knew it, it did that exactly.

Though Toothless kept going, he kept going as fast as he could but the two of us found no ship. "Astrid wait up!" Toothless stopped in the air suddenly but his head was spinning round in numerous directions looking for where the ship could have gone to. As he was doing that I looked to the others who had caught up with us "Where's the ship?" Heather asked me now following the gestures of Toothless looking round in every direction but I shook my head at all of them "It's gone, we can't find it anywhere," the guilt inside me was screaming at me but urging me to move forwards and find him, to not give up. "Hiccup showed me all the locations which Viggo has set up for their bases, they could be on their way to one of those locations we should start looking," Fishlegs commented while taking out a map. I nodded at him immediately advising him to take the lead and direct us. It was the strangest thing because as soon as I instructed it I'd never seen Meatlug move so fast in my life. Everyone followed the two and it felt as if we were travelling in the north direction forever until we finally hit a curb and started heading east. It was obvious Fishlegs knew what he was doing as did Meatlug followed by everyone behind them but what I couldn't get out of my head was how Viggo's ship was able to run out of dragons. To be fair he did have a head start on us but we should have caught up with him by now but we've gotten nowhere. The night started to turn into the dawn so the stars started to disappear from sight which we almost used as our guide and when I looked round at the other riders I noticed Ruff trying to hold her brother in his saddle by kicking his body back forth so he wouldn't slip off as he drifted off into sleep, Snotlout was already gone with his back laid back against Hookfang snoring so profoundly which only left Heather, Fishlegs and I the ones who were awake.

We were all drained, I knew that but there was nothing I could do about it, we had to find Hiccup before it was too late and if we had to travel all day then that's exactly what we were gonna do. Just as I thought our luck was beginning to run out there I saw it, a ship in the distance calling out to us "Guys wake up! There it is!" Suddenly everyone woke up to spot the ship in the distance "Now let's get my cousin back shall we!" Automatically Snotlout dived into action without a single hesitation as we all followed in pursuit but something wasn't right. As we got a clearer view of what was in front of us everything was on fire as well as the ship finding itself sinking into the ocean. I looked at the others who'd also stopped mid-air as we all just looked as confused as the other; I didn't wait any longer, I took a decent and landed on the ship with Toothless, the others did the same as we all scanned the best we could of the ship before it would depart from us in an instance. I ran down to the lower deck and started searching for him there and I couldn't find any trace of him. I took a turn inside an office where I believed this would be Viggo's office but I found myself to be in high water as soon as I opened the door; immediately Toothless pulled me away before I would be sucked into the water and he carried me back upstairs where everyone else had no luck either.

He was gone; he was nowhere to be seen. Where did he go? I could start to hear myself heavy breathing, I was panting uncontrollably I couldn't handle this where could he have gone? I looked at Toothless who looked just as scared as I did as well as the others. "Well this is a nice surprise," I spun around to see Viggo come out from behind one of the masts with his brother Ryker; Toothless got into his stance ready to shoot a plasma blast at them as did the other dragons while we all clutched our weapons tightly aiming at them harshly. "Where is he?! Where is Hiccup?!" I barked the order at the two of them; Viggo relaxed his posture but kept a strong and fierce demeanour towards me "My dear Astrid...that is exactly what I would like to know."