Hiccup could feel the way Astrid was staring at her scar. She could tell the other woman wanted to ask but didn't feel comfortable to do so yet. So, Hiccup decided to take matters into her own hands.

"You can ask. I probably won't get offended." She teased, gladly watching the way her face went crimson as she realized she had been staring.

"I didn't-" She was interrupted before she could finish trying to dig herself out of this hole.

"Just ask if you want to ask. If not, don't. Just know, I really don't like liars." There was a cold and bitter edge to her voice. One that she had just noticed, but that had been there the whole time. One that wasn't there six years ago.

"What happened?" She finally asked after a few moments, cursing herself for being so hesitant.

"Well, um, a few years ago I was resting on an island when I met the local village. They seemed nice enough, but they didn't care much for Toothless." She gestured at the creature, and Astrid saw it looked apprehensive. Almost as if he knew where this was going and didn't like it.

"I ended up staying a bit longer than I planned, just a few days because they were pretty nice. They even tolerated Toothless for a while, which was not common. One night I heard something outside of the small home they had let me stay in, and hurried outside. I was comfortable enough around these people, I didn't think to grab my armor.

"When I finally reached the source of the noise, I found at least half the village surrounding Toothless, who they had in a muzzle. They were trying to chain him down when I got there. When I tried to free him, well, let's just say I wasn't fast enough to defend myself and Toothless at the same time. I managed to get us out with all our stuff, but I never trusted another village again." As she finished, Toothless' tail curled around her. It was a small gesture, but Astrid could tell it meant a lot to her.

"So that's not the only one?" She asked, worried about just how bad it had been.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She replied, suddenly seeming much more hostile than before.

Taking that as her cue to leave, she slowly got up and walked away from the large metal gate, but not before slipping the plate of food through a small square in the gate.

"Don't forget to eat. You'll need to get all the food you can for whatever they have planned for you tomorrow."

|||

Hiccup had no idea why she had reacted like that. She had been doing so well, being open. It was probably just old wounds resurfacing.

She knew exactly what Astrid had done when she left. The risk she had taken to make sure Hiccup was remembered and memorialized. To make sure she wasn't forgotten or labeled a traitor, one of the worst fates for a Viking. She had appreciated the thought, but she was no longer a Viking. She wasn't anything anymore.

In her ignorant youth, she had left without ample supplies, and had returned a few days later for the things she forgot under the cover of night, only to see a small ship sailing alone on the sea, flames raging. When she flew lower to see who it had been, gods forbid anyone she cared about, only to see the helmet her father had given her not one week ago.

Back on the island, gossip could be heard that had confirmed her suspicions. It was her who had died. The only logical explanation was Astrid. She had told them Hiccup had been killed, bringing back a cloth with sheep's blood on it as proof. They had no reason not to believe her.

Hiccup had no idea what to think of Astrid, who was so different when she was alone.

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Word Count: 663