Chapter 49: Friend or Foe?

Astrid

Leia was right; there was enough room to fit all of us in the hut because it was huge. The only comfort to the dark surrounding the place was the crisp fire igniting in the centre of the room spreading warmth throughout the place. Hiccup immediately sat down clutching his chest delicately with suspicion; I knew he didn't want anyone to ask how he was feeling so no one did but none of us hid the sorrow written on our faces. It didn't stop me from sitting next to him either; the urges inside me telling me to never leave his side was taking affect and the pangs in my heart were aching seeing him in such a state. Gently my hand placed itself on his shoulder just as his head tilted to look at me; I let my eyes speak reassurance ad I knew it worked as he planted a small smile on his face. Immediately, without warning he rested his frame against me placing his head on my shoulder; there was no hesitation from me to wrap my arm around his shoulder and cradle him close against me. As I did so, he adjusted his position and cuddled into me resting his remaining hand on my lap, another sudden urge took over me and I let my hand rest on top of his. With instinct the pair of us let of fingers tinkle with each other before they settled on intertwining with one another. Before we knew it our hands were clasped together tightly and his frame relaxed against me while I rested my head lightly on top of his. My hand travelled gently up and down his arm as I tried soothing his heaving breathing; having him up against me made my heart flutter and the heat that's been kept inside for days was finally taking affect. The blush hit my cheeks and a small smile crept onto my face, I was relaxed in a memory I wouldn't ever forget.

As my hand traced its way up and down I could feel how small and fragile his frame was. I'd never paid much attention before but it was true, I couldn't gather the knowledge to how he's survived all this time but it made even more sense to why he hardly eats anything at the Edge his body is just too used to having nothing so his frame just keeps dwindling into nothing; accepting all the knowledge I didn't want to accept before started to make my heart shatter and the glass started forming inside my eyes. My hand would pull up his tunic slightly as it travelled upwards and each time I would see glances of deep purple bruises carved into his wrists. Anyone who glances at them would know they're painful but to Hiccup he didn't seem bothered by any of it, instead I felt he was more concerned about the pain everywhere else on his body or just finding a place of belonging and being with people who truly matter. Hearing his breathing was returning to a normal and steady pace I knew he was unperturbed, I knew he felt safe and in a way at home. "I'm sorry Astrid," I heard him mumble quietly only so I could hear him; my grip pulled him in tighter but tenderly at the same time so I wouldn't hurt him more than he already is "You have nothing to be sorry for," I whispered to him "But I'm such a disappointment to everyone, I thought...I thought everything was fine...I thought," but I stopped him and pulled him up to look at me.

Deep inside his eyes I knew there was a smile waiting to break free but right now I was discovering glassy emerald wanting to crack but I didn't want it to. "Hiccup stop, it will be fine maybe not straight away but it will get better you just need to believe that. I know it's hard and I'm not saying it will be easy but it will get better which I will help you through. I'm not letting you out of my sight ever again," a full smile never formed on his face but a small one did which I would accept; I wrapped my arms smoothly around him as he did the same back to me. Feeling his full frame, the glass in my eyes did crack and the tear fell delicately down my face and onto his tunic because I couldn't stand the torture Viggo put him through and he had to pay for it no matter the cost. "Hiccup, how did Viggo even know you were there? I swear we took every precaution to make sure that wouldn't happen," strangely enough it was Tuff who spoke. Everyone's heads diverted to look at him as he made his way over to us followed closely by the others. Hiccup sighed heavily against me as he already knew the answer we all longed to know; but that wasn't the thing that caught my eye, instead it was Heather gazing directly at Hiccup with a serious eye while Hiccup looked back at her nervously. "Tell them Hiccup," Heathers voice was hollow with almost shame was it, or was it guilt that she hadn't said anything herself.

"I can't...I'm sorry I can't he'll..." Heather came over and took hold of the hand that wasn't connected to mine staring directly into his eyes "He won't, we'll make sure of that," the conversation between them started to get more intriguing so I needed to know what was going on. "Is one of you gonna tell us or are we gonna have to find out for ourselves?" Snotlout broke the two apart and stared at them before keeping his gaze locked onto his cousin "Look cuz, we can protect you just tell us who this 'he' is?" It was the first time I believe I've ever seen Snotlout act sincere towards anyone. I know this is a different situation but at the same time I would have believed he'd be his true, arrogant self. I felt Hiccup take a deep breath beside me before speaking timidly "It was Johan," suddenly gasps filled the entire room; Snotlout fell backwards onto the floor in surprise while a nervous and shaky laugh escaped Fishlegs "Johan, that's impossible he's been the trader of Berk for years. He's always been so loyal," sudden light filled the room as Leia re-entered the room holding a tray of food and drink for all of us "That's not entirely true." Immediate jealousy tore at my heart when I saw her come in; I was unsure to why but I didn't want her here, this was supposed to be a moment between us and Hiccup. Did she come in here to ruin this moment or something because it was working? I wonder if the others felt the same as I do, or is it just me because everything just seems odd about her to me.

She appears with Hiccup out of nowhere with these Defenders of the Wing society who we've never heard of and by the sounds of it now, she seems to know a lot about Hiccup and Viggo. Maybe I should just hear her out and if I don't like what she has to say then I'll get straight to the point and find out what she's really all about. Individually she handed each of us a cup of water and some food before taking a seat in front of Hiccup and I with everyone else circled around. That's when a fraction of the envy I was feeling disappeared and I could suddenly feel calm again "Johan worked with Viggo's father for a very long time but little did Viggo's father know, Johan worked with Viggo and Ryker secretly on something no one knew about except," all eyes looked down on Hiccup who looked extremely uneasy and lost. Everything was coming to light now; I could see things more clearly than I could have before. The reason Viggo kept targeting Hiccup was because he's afraid Hiccup might say something about his plans with Johan, he doesn't want his secrets coming out. It was as if Ruff read my mind because she repeated what I was thinking out in my head to the rest of the group just as Leia nodded her head in agreement. "Though if that's the case, why hasn't Hiccup said anything?" I know he's right next to me but gathering from his posture and silence I knew he didn't want to speak or say a word because it was just too aching to say.

"Leia, could you start from the beginning; how do you know Hiccup? How much do you know?" I asked the questions holding Hiccup close to me as he rested his weight back against me. My arm wrapped itself back round him holding him closer against me as cuddled far into me. "I'm sure you've heard of Aryan and Ashley?" everyone nodded at her since Hiccup told us how they helped him escape "Well, I'm their daughter," my eyes widened in shock at her words because I wasn't expecting something like that from her. At least now I know how she knows Hiccup. "I always lived at the Grimborn compound; it was lonely and horrible that was until Hiccup showed up. My father never let me see him directly due to Viggo's father's rules and for my own safety. At the time, my father knew something was going on but I needed a friend so I sent Hiccup hidden messages which he always responded to. It was a great chance for the two of us to separate ourselves from Viggo and Ryker. One day my father and mother started getting all flustered about something and I encouraged them to tell me what was going on and they told me Viggo took over the compound, murdered his father and was after Hiccup so they were planning on getting him and me out of there. They succeeded on my behalf but it was too late for Hiccup. I travelled here where I found the Defenders of the Wing. Mala took me in after I told her what happened and ever since I heard Hiccup made it out of the compound I've tried protecting him ever since," and there it was, the pang of jealousy starting to kick in again.

The flutter of a sparkle inside her eyes were always igniting especially when she spoke about Hiccup and it made my blood boil; I hated it, I was starting to hate her. "But, what about Johan?" Heather urged the femme fatal to proceed forwards "I was never hung out with boys because of Viggo and Ryker so I felt sad that Hiccup had to but they didn't mean I stopped spying. From time to time, Johan would show up to talk about trade and negotiations with Viggo's father but at the end of all that Viggo and Ryker would talk with Johan independently, trading with their own materials but as a distraction so their father wouldn't know they beat Hiccup up. I followed Johan sometimes and each time I noticed new materials on his ship such as dragon proof cages and chains etc and every time they were handed to Viggo and Ryker. Hiccup always watched not being able to do anything but somehow he was always clever enough to get hold of their plans which only just hurt him more but he was always so eager to tell their father but never could and that was how Hiccup knows everything that went on with the three of them," as she slowed down talking about Hiccup my head levelled to look down at him with regret in my eyes. We could have done something if we knew he was still alive, we could have protected him from all this; within instinct I pulled him closer to me as he held onto me tighter than he has ever done before. The butterflies in my stomach took flight as I held him protectively with love and comfort but most of it was with love.

I could hear the hammer of his heart beating rapidly at the sound of Viggo and Ryker's name. I couldn't imagine the torture he had to endure so just hearing their names must bring it all back for him causing the persecute to take affect all over again. Belief in hope that he was getting better with it clouded my mind but after recent events it must have brought down that wall just to wound him again. "The reason Hiccup can't remember, I presume is because they wiped his memory from the time he first arrived there but now it's starting to come back and he doesn't want his plans coming out into the open," Leia finished her very long story. Listening to her the pang of jealousy once again disappeared and I was seeing her in a different light. A genuine light of trust I felt was radiating off her but still a fraction remained of jealousy when I looked upon her. Maybe it was the glisten in her eyes, the gloss of ebony hair they was tied neatly in those plaits, I wasn't sure but whatever it was, I wanted it to disappear soon. "Viggo won't stop coming after him, neither will Johan. We have to keep him safe," Snotlout spoke up out of all of us finishing with "And we have to tell Stoick about Johan," Hiccup's head immediately shot up from my shoulder shaking his head violently obviously indicating us we can't do that "Hiccup he can protect you, he can keep you safe. The sooner he knows the better otherwise we'll be letting a traitor onto our island who will keep coming after you," but Hiccup wouldn't refuse instead he just kept shaking his head.

I watched as his lips were quivering as he tried opening his mouth to speak; when he did the shake to her tone made me feel uneasy and scared because that's exactly how he's feeling right "We can't...he'll hurt him, he'll hurt everyone...he'll hurt you," immediate, deep eye contact was made between us as sapphire attached itself with emerald. Seeing him directly I could feel the nerves radiating off him as he's worried about my safety "I'll be fine, I promise. I can take care of myself, and we can all take care of you especially your father," as we stared intimately at each other for a long period of time I knew he was calculating his decision which finally turned into a positive yes. We wrapped our arms around each other tightly as reassurance everything would be okay just as the sun outside dropped into the ocean and replaced it's glow with the moon shining in the sky "Rest, we'll fly back to Berk in the morning," he nodded at me and led down in bed just as everyone went to their own beds for the night. "Astrid can I speak with you?" I looked over at Leia who was heading outside, I nodded with caution before heading the same direction she was. What was this all about?

Curiosity swept over me as I headed out into the open to see her standing by the entrance "What's up?" I asked her as I stood beside her "I can see the way you feel about him," my eyes widened at her and my reply was shaky "I don't know what you're talking about," she placed her hand on my shoulder and look at me directly "You can lie to yourself about it but not to everyone else, I was just going to say take care of him. You barely know me and I barely know you, but if we work together we can keep him safe. I can't do it by myself and he needs you especially now," I nodded at her with the last fraction of jealousy sweeping away from me "I will and thanks," it was her time to nod at me "I'll see you tomorrow," I gave a small nod as my reply before heading back inside the hut. I could hear the crackling coming from the fire as the embers began to die out. Everyone was already asleep so I silently went to take my place in my bed; I walked over as silently as I could until a hand brushed my own. I looked down to see Hiccup almost reaching out for my hand, I picked it up gently I placed it on his chest but that was before he intertwined his fingers with mine leaving a small whisper to echo throughout the room saying "Please don't leave me," I smiled and crawled into bed next to him as he cuddled into my lap. I let my fingers run through his hair whispering back "I won't," before I knew it, I too gently faded into sleep.