Dragons: The New Chief

Chapter 40: The Spitelout Menace

"Why? Why does she get to carry a child only a week after marriage? Why can't I?!" Astrid yelled and chucked her axe into the nearest tree, burying the blade many inches in the bark.

It had been about three weeks since Heather and Snotlout had announced to the village of their child on the way. Heather, who said that she was a relatively large woman during Njord's bearing, was already looking slightly larger in the abdominal region. If you took one glance at her, you wouldn't think that she looked any different, but if you took a minute or two to inspect her, you could tell.

Spitelout, of course, was all over being a grandfather to a true Jorgenson. He did love Njord and had no intentions of disowning him as his grandson, but he wasn't Snotlout's son. With this happiness, brought anger and sadness to the Haddocks...most specifically Astrid. Spitelout jumped on Hiccup about how his son had an heir, but the chief did not. Of course there was a meeting, held by Spitelout, about how Snotlout should be chief since his name is being carried on. However, the council disbanded the meeting not even two minutes into it. They all had loyalties to Hiccup, as he had given them no reason to object to his rule. Hiccup had not broken any laws and he and Astrid had only been wed for three months now. To explain to Spitelout why they were not worried about the Haddock name being carried on, they told him the same thing Hiccup told Astrid, they had only been married for almost three months now.

During that time, Astrid had grown bitter. She seemed to be more short with people and take a more foul tone with them as well. Everyone could see it, but were oblivious to the reason, so they just avoided her in general. The woman sought to seclude herself in self deprivation and cared not of what other people's opinions were.

Hiccup sighed as Astrid strode up to the tree and began to yank the weapon from the wood. He rolled a ball of wet, cold snow in his hand, adding a little more every now and then. Toothless, who was sitting between his rider and Stormfly, cocked his head to the side and warbled. Hiccup leaned against the tree behind him and tossed the ball in the air.

"Not that I'm mad at her, no I could never be mad about that. I am very happy for her." Astrid said, mostly to herself.

Hiccup watched the ball come down by his feet with a splat. "We are letting her get all her anger out here, so she doesn't break anything in the house."

"What did you say?!" Astrid screeched.

Moments later, a rush of wind blew over the chief and the tree behind him shook, followed instantly with a thud and snow falling to the ground around him. The man gulped. His adams apple bobbed up and down as he pulled away slowly. A small ping of pain pulled at Hiccup's head. After hearing a snap, he turned and looked at the tree, where there was an axe buried in the bark just above where his head was.

"I very much liked that piece of hair, Astrid, his name was Stan." Hiccup said, pointing to a lone hair that was caught by the blade.

The chief's wife rolled her eyes. She strode over and yanked the blade from the tree with brute force. The limbs shook and littered the ground with new piles of snow. Lucky for the snow, they missed Astrid, else they would have gotten a stern yelling from her.

"Hiccup, this is serious." Astrid said.

She tossed the axe around in her hand, preparing to throw it once more.

Hiccup clambered to his foot and brushed off the snow. "What do you mean serious? You just haven't conceived in three months, i'd hardly call that serious. I will happen when it wants to."

Astrid stopped, gripping the handle of her axe tightly. "I wished away my seed." She confessed.

Hiccup looked up to her. His chest tightened, making his breaths come hard. Did she just say what he thought she did?