Suddenly married (slow updates)

Chapter 4

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The sun was shining.
The deadly nadders were singing on top of the rooftops, and a wedding had just been held.
Neither the groom nor the bride had been able to look each other in the eyes as they were wed, and they had completely skipped the usual kiss, instead opting for a handshake.

Nobody there could say that it had been romantic. It had been awkward for everyone, but it was much worse for the newlywed.
They felt humiliated, at least to a certain degree, and they wished that the wedding would have been small and private instead of having all of Berk's population there.

Stoick went up to his son, dressed in the traditional wedding attire and adorned with a crown made of the leaves that Astrid's flower crown come of.
A beautiful metaphor that they were now each other's other half, completing each other through the ties of their marriage.

"I'm very proud of you, son" Stoick patted his son on his shoulder.

"Yeah...thanks, dad" Hiccup said, but he was missing a spark in his voice.
Astrid was s great woman, and he was sure that it wouldn't be a terrible marriage, but he still is he'd he had had the chance to choose for himself. To get ready, and to fall in love.

"And you..." Stoick turned to his new daughter-in-law with a big grin.
"My son is knucklehead, I've always needed to take care of him"

"Dad!"

"So please, take good care of him from now on"

"Need to take care of me?...I've done just fine" Hiccup mumbled.

"So make sure he doesn't get in trouble? Got it. I'll do my best" Astrid nodded and gave a small smile.
She actually liked Stoick.
He was kind and seemed to understand what he had done to them and how his decision all those years ago was hurting them.
It was unlike her own father that still tried to convince Astrid that it wasn't so bad.

Well, when Hiccup thought about it he supposed that he had gotten in a fair amount of trouble in the last couple of years.
The red death...
Dagur...
Alvin...
Mildew...
Fair enough. Maybe he did need some supervision.

"Ah, the same goes for my Astrid" Astrid's father joined the conversation, and Astrid's smile quickly fell.
"She's more than a pretty face. She can be incredibly stubborn"

Maybe he meant for it to be a sweet sentiment like the one Stoick had made, but the way he began it didn't quite do it.

"Well, that's not necessarily a bad thing is it?"

"Yes, Hiccup is right, his mother was a stubborn one too" Stoick laughed, but the pain in his voice at the mention of his late wife was not unnoticed.
"It's the sign of a great woman, and a great chieftess"

She blushed, and smiled, seemingly very happy being given such praise by her new father-in-law.
"Thank you"

The rest of the day went by that way, with many villagers and friends congratulating the young couple, but not everyone knew the same details and it became evident that too many people in the village were under the belief that the two, although it was arranged, was in love.

They were not.

Neither of them experienced any romantic feelings towards the other, but that did not mean that they didn't like each other.
They were a pleasant company and perhaps growing friends, but emotionally they were no more than that.

OoOoOoO

That night the stars were bright in the sky, barely even a cloud in the sky to block out the moon's light.
Hiccup had long since changed out of his wedding attires when everyone retired for the night, but while he sat, still very awake on the porch next to Toothless, who, due to the Hofferson's had not been invited to the wedding.