To GreenBlueCat: I would say that I can't tell you because that would spoil it, but saying that would give it away. Hiccup is still going to have most of his talents, but they may be a bit different. I won't answer your last question because that WOULD spoil some stuff that I have planned, but it will be soon (probably).

To UpbeatGracie: Thanks for pointing that out, I meant to do so.

To kbaker3: Thank you so much! I'm hoping to make this a pretty long story being as there are so many different directions I could take it, so it most likely won't be complete for a while.

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Commence chapter 3

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The days passed slowly, as if someone had replaced the sand in Odin's divine hourglass with dragon saliva. I had nothing to pass the time, so I simply sat. I thought a lot, mostly about home and Astrid – the real Astrid – or at least I tried to. I could not help but allow my mind to wander, although it surely cannot be considered wandering. I always managed to follow the same foreboding path that led me back to my current situation, but mostly her. I could not bring myself to call her by that name. The first day after our little meeting I had not thought anything was out of the ordinary. I still received meals, although they were always brought while I was sleeping. The second day was mostly the same, but come the third day I began to worry. I was far past restless, and the room was obviously not designed to allow movement, small as it was. I found that I was increasingly frustrated, but the frustration soon turned to anger. On the fourth day, I began pounding on the door, reminiscent of the first time I had awakened here. I yelled a lot that day, demanding to see her, to see anybody. There was no response.

The fifth day I slept a lot, my throat sore, especially my vocal cords. The sixth day I began to pace, a habit of my father's – when he couldn't punch his problem, which was rarely – that I had hoped never to inherit. I grew bored and knocked on the door, calmly this time. I thought I heard a small knock from the other side, and I grew excited. "Could I have something to pass the time with if you're going to keep me in here like a prisoner?" I asked, hopeful. I waited, but no reply came. I slumped down and sat leaning against the door. I turned my gaze to the ceiling, but then decided it made more sense to look out the window. I stood and trundled towards it. I stopped and rested my hands on the small windowsill. I crouched so that I could see a thin sliver of sky above the dull gray in every other direction. It was as blue as the water on Berk just after a storm had passed, not a cloud in sight. I sighed, and then began. "Hey Toothless, I think I'm going crazy bud. I've begun talking to myself – well technically you but you know. I hope you're okay, wherever you are."

I muttered a prayer to Thor and was beginning to stand when I heard a low growl and saw a shadow pass over the building. I only saw it for a second, not enough time to tell, but could it be him? My hopes soared high, but then fell farther. It couldn't be him. If it was him, they either would have brought us together or killed him by now. I winced as I thought about the possibility of the latter. Tears balanced on the edge of my eyelid, but I quickly wiped them away with my arm, slightly pale from lack of exposure to the sun these past few days, or had it been weeks. I'd lost count. I felt alone, more than I ever had. I wondered for a time if this was Valhalla, and if I had died. Perhaps I would join my ancestors soon. The thought of the great men and women who had come before gave me strength, and I straightened my back, squared my shoulders and then nearly screamed as the door flew open.

My hands flew up in front of my face – a reflex – to defend myself. Adrenaline shot through my veins, electrifying me as if I had been attacked by a seashocker. My rapid breathing slowed though as I saw who was standing in the door frame. It was her. It was Astrid. Her face was flushed, her hair a tangled mess. She had a worried expression on her face that I guessed was for me, who else? Curious at the thought of that, my hard expression turned to one of relief. She walked in, bags under her eyes as if she had not been getting enough sleep. I stood to help her, but she raised a hand. She tried to sit in the small chair but I stopped her and led her to the more comfortable bed. She did not thank me, but I knew she was grateful. I sat in the chair and allowed her to catch her breath. When she did I spoke before she had the chance to. "You need rest." "I- they- they said-" she stuttered, obviously confused about something. "Stop" I said "slow your breathing". A minute passed. "They told me you were dead. They told me that they had to kill you because I told you my name" she gasped. "Who told you?" I asked, angry at them already. "I can't say." Knowing that I couldn't get any more out of her, I stood up and sat beside her on the bed. "Are you okay?" I asked, tentative. She nodded. "Sleep" I repeated, insistent. She didn't object, and I could tell she didn't want to go back, so she lay down and close her eyes.

I sat in the chair, watching her sleep. I hadn't moved, but to transfer from the bed, as I didn't want to wake her. She looked so peaceful now, not at all like she had an hour ago. Her hair lay in a tangled mess of chaotic patterns. I did not want to wake her, to break the cocoon of dreams that she resided in, at least for the past while, so I sat. I thought a lot about other things, without having to worry if she was okay. I thought about home on Berk, and imagined my father pacing as I had only a couple of hours ago. I thought about the shadow. It was black as night. It was as black as Toothless' scales. Had it been him flying over the building? I refused to accept that it wasn't, because if he wasn't looking for me, no one was. The room darkened as the sun began to set and gradually I fell asleep.

When I awoke I saw that Astrid had gone, but there were no signs of a struggle so I knew it was of her own accord. I saw a slip of paper, camouflaged against the white sheets. It was a note. I picked it up and found that it was from Astrid.

I woke up in the night and saw you sleeping. You looked different than you do during the day. Then, you seem ready for anything, but at night... I don't know how to describe it. It reminds me of before you woke up from the coma I guess. You were in a whole other world. I didn't want to wake you, so I just left. Thank you for last night. I needed someone to calm me down.

-Astrid

Not wanting to discard the note, I folded it into quarters and placed it on my bedside table. I headed into the small adjoining room to the bathroom. It still seemed very strange to me, the lever that made the water disappear. I was only gone for a couple of minutes, but when I returned to the larger room, the note was gone. I looked for it, assuming it had fallen, but it was nowhere to be found.

It was a couple of days later when I awoke to find a woman sitting in the small uncomfortable chair. She was thin, but sturdy and tall. She had light brown hair that framed her somewhat angular face. Her large green eyes matched her high cheekbones. She stood when she saw me, and rushed to the side of the bed. She did not say anything, but simply looked at me, tears brimming in her eyes. She whispered something, but I could not hear. She leaned in as if to hug me but I flinched back and she stopped. "Wh- Who are you?" I asked unaware of the hurt that it would cause her. She began to cry. Warbled words forced themselves out between sobs. It seemed to be meaningless, but I caught certain things. "Doesn't remember me" and "I love you" were two things. I tried to calm her down but she wouldn't stop. I kept asking her who she was, but she would shake her head and turn away from me. I heard words that chilled me to the bone, coming from a voice that warmed my heart. It was a fire and ice combo. "That's your mother" said Astrid.

This is just me saying thanks to everyone who has been encouraging me to continue writing and for all the kind words that have been said. I mentioned earlier that I didn't know if I would be writing a lot, and yet I have been recently. It's because of the people who leave comments and follow/favourite the story. Hopefully there will be another chapter out soon; I'm gunning for less than three days from now, so fingers crossed. Once again, thank you.