He was woken early the next morning, before the sun had even risen. The room was dark, except for three servants holding lanterns and the royal healers standing by the bed. One spoke to him in rapid, harsh Yorvani, and the other said, in the tongue of the Wilderwesteners, though only slightly less harshly, "We need to examine the Sun."

Hiccup understood what they meant. He needed to leave.

He glanced at one of the healers, then the other. He looked down at Astrid, asleep in his arms. He didn't want to leave, not when he didn't know for sure who was responsible for the attempt on her life—not when who he suspected was well beyond his ability to serve justice to. Not when anyone with access to her could be a threat.

"I'll stand over there," he said, giving them a hard look and sliding out of the large bed and stepping back and away so the healers could do their work.

From then until they finished and left the healers and their assistants made no indication that they acknowledged his presence. They spoke, and at times argued, quietly to each other. From across the room, he saw Gana enter. She stopped at the sight of Astrid, who was still unconscious despite all the poking and prodding by the healers. Gana paled, worry aging her features. She glanced at Hiccup, before motioning him to join her on the other side of the room.

He did so, thankful that at least someone in the room acknowledged him. At the same time, however…he did not want to let his eyes leave Astrid. He could not. A fierce need to protect her had overtaken him, consuming him. When he reached Gana, she put her hand on his arm. "Thank you," she whispered, "For staying with her through the night… I know she would have wanted you to guard over her."

He nodded, and she heaved a sigh. "You'll stay in Cartan?" she asked, "At least until The Sun has recovered?"

Hiccup found himself nodding again. Though there was no child anymore to be born, he would stay. He would not leave Astrid's side if he could help it…at least until she had fully recovered. He couldn't think much farther beyond that point at this time.

Yes, he would stay for a while yet. Until the murderer was caught, and Astrid was safe.

"How long are they going to inspect her?" Hiccup asked.

Gana shook her head. "I do not know. The healers have their own ways and procedures." She heaved another heavy breath. "Lord Rafan is currently still being held prisoner on the orders of the Chairman of the High Council. He will be tried by the council on the account of treason. For the attempt on The Sun's life."

"Why?" Hiccup asked, alarmed enough to look away from Astrid to gaze incredulously at Gana. "He's innocent!"

"We both know that," Gana said. "But Astrid's power to grant full pardon only has so much reach…and with you now having pardon…the people need answers. They need someone to blame, to but their mind at ease. And Rafan is the perfect scapegoat. He's beloved by the people, and a strong supporter of the Sun. If the people turn against him…the Sun will have one less person to turn to for aid."

Hiccup looked back at Astrid, his hands clenching into fists by his side.

"As Chairman of the High Council, Drago's word is often law," Gana continued. "You're lucky you got out alive…Not many, including his fellow councilmen and councilwoman, are strong or brave enough to go against him. He is too powerful to be made an enemy by opposing him."

"But Astrid has," Hiccup said, frowning, "By saving me."

"It's true," Gana said, eyeing Hiccup, looking like she doubted it was a good choice on Astrid's part. "But Drago and Astrid have already been enemies for some time."

"Because they oppose each other in politics," Hiccup prompted—though he had suspected for some time that Drago and Astrid's hate for each other went far beyond just politics.

"That," Gana said, "And…other things. More…" Gana stiffened slightly, a hard expression on her face. "Drago is not a good man, Hiccup. Not in his politics, and not in his morals or actions. Astrid has had to endure much more than anyone ever should at his—"

But before she could continue, the healers began to whisper to each other, and Gana's attention was diverted from Hiccup to Astrid.

"What I am saying, Consort of the Sun," she finally said, tearing her eyes away from Astrid back to Hiccup, a hardened look in her dark eyes. "You are not bound entirely by the laws of our people, now that The Sun has given you and Berk free will. Find out who tried to kill Astrid. Find them, and bring them to justice."

She straightened her back. "It will be dangerous. But I—I think I can trust you. I think we all could trust you. After all, should Astrid die…" she faltered there, but steeled herself, and continued. "Whoever Lord Drago puts in her place will certainly not have as much honor and love for the people as she does."

"Do you think that Lord Drago was responsible, too?" Hiccup whispered, quiet enough that hopefully no guard, servant or healer could hear him.

"I cannot say," she said, looking very much like she did want to say. He knew it would be dangerous, however, for her to openly speak ill of or accuse Drago of treason. He understood. "Very well," he said, "I will get justice for Astrid."

Gana laid her hand on his arm, and patted it affectionately. "I think Astrid chose rightly," she said, before turning away and leaving the room.

Hiccup returned his attention to the healers, who were still whispering together. After a few moments, and after what had to be hours of inspecting Astrid, they bowed to her, though she was still asleep through all this, and left Astrid's apartments. Hiccup watched them go with a sense of dislike. He doubted they would purposefully hurt Astrid, not when their duty was to revive her. But…it was the fact that they had been so disdainful towards him. As if he did not have the right to be here—to be with Astrid.

He climbed into her bed again the moment they all left, and held her gently to him. When he woke some time later, he found it was due to Astrid stirring. Instinctively, Hiccup sat up, reaching for the knife he kept hidden under his pillow in his own apartments. He found a knife, but not his own. Staring at it for a moment, blinking in surprise, he glanced at Astrid, who was watching him with a exhausted, wry smile on her face.

"Too bad they didn't try to stab me," she said, her voice hoarse, breathy, and quiet, as if it pained her to speak. "I must be too much of a glutton to pay attention to what I was eating…"

He almost dropped the knife. He quickly tossed it over and behind him, and didn't care that it made a clattering noise on the ground. He reached out and gently touched her face, swallowing hard. His eyes filled with tears at the sight of Astrid's blue eyes. He missed that blue. The type of grey-blue that was indescribable and incomparable. Just like she was. He didn't even care that he was clearly emotional, either, though once he would have tried to hide any affection for her. He didn't care…because all that mattered in this moment was her.

"How do you feel?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly. "I mean—are you in a lot of pain?"

"I'm…" she began, her brows furrowing. "Pain, yes, but…" Her eyes widened slightly. "Hiccup…I…the child…"

"I know…" he said softly.

Her lips trembled slightly, as she fought to keep the emotion at bay. "I'm so sorry, Hiccup," she whispered.

"Why are you apologizing?" he demanded. "Astrid, you were poisoned most likely because you were pregnant with my child. After all, the poison didn't kill you. It was clearly intended to make you…" he trailed off.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, shaking her head slightly. Her eyes were looking elsewhere, but at exactly what, he didn't know. "It's strange," she began. "I wasn't pregnant for long…I wasn't even really showing. Besides feeling nauseous at times, and missing my monthlies, I…I wouldn't even have known that…" Her face fell slightly. "How is it that I miss something that I barely…"

"It's ok," Hiccup said softly. "I…I miss it too."

It was only now that Hiccup had the time to realize that Astrid miscarrying the child meant there would be no child. He hadn't been altogether jubilant at the news of Astrid's pregnancy. Not compared to many parents welcoming their first child into the world. This arrangement always been about giving Astrid a child, not about becoming a parent himself. After all, he had often said that he would return to Berk once the child was born, and…leave Astrid to raise the child alone.

But now…he felt a slight hollow in his chest, mostly, admittedly, for Astrid's pain in this moment. If he had known about the pregnancy for longer than he had, having been kept in the dark for some time about it, he might have grown more attached to the idea of being a father soon.

"Astrid," he said. "I'm… I'm sorry, too."

She looked at him in surprise. "For what?"

"For putting you in this situation—"

"No," she said, shortly, before coughing slightly. "This is not your fault, Hiccup. This is…Perhaps it's what I…deserve."

"Why on earth would it be what you 'deserve'?" Hiccup asked, giving her a strange look.

"For… I don't know," she shrugged slightly, then winced from the effort. "For being selfish—for wanting to keep the throne and secure my line. For…for taking you away from Berk the way I did."

Hiccup let out a huff of air. "That's ridiculous, Astrid," he said, his tone harsher than he had intended. "You didn't drag me to Cartan against my will…and it's a good thing for you to secure your throne. You are the true leader of the Yorvani and your people love you—and not just your people, I—" he stopped himself, when she looked at him, waiting for his answer.

"I'm…I—" he began again, "—I know there are people who, if they go to know you, would love you as well."

She blinked, looking at him in confusion, before nodded. "Maybe you're right," she said. "But now I am alone with no heir."

Hiccup shook his head. "You're not alone," he said, taking her chin gently in his hand and lifting her face slightly to look at him. "I'm here. And I'm not going to leave until you have recovered, and have given birth to an heir."

"But who—" her eyes widened. "You would…you would give me another child?" she asked, sounding dumbfounded.

"Yes," he said, "Astrid, I…" He took in a deep breath, "I don't like the thought of any other man fathering your children," he admitted, feeling his face warm with embarrassment at this confession.

She stared at him, and did not say anything. "Even though I am Yorvani?" she asked. "Even though I conquered your land, and imprisoned your father?"

"You freed my father," Hiccup reminded her. "And I don't care that you're Yorvani." After a moment he admitted, "I'm… mostly over you being Yorvani."

She gave a weak chuckle, and then sighed. "Thank you, Hiccup. I know that it must be hard for you to be with—"

"It's not hard for me to be with you," Hiccup interrupted irritably. He gently brushed her cheek with his fingers, looking into her eyes and swallowed hard. "Astrid—I…I love you."

The strangest thing, he mused briefly, was that there was no ounce of a lie in those words. And that there was no ounce of hesitation or regret in speaking them.

TO BE CONTINUED…

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