Unexpected

The Monstrous Nightmare

Chapter Nine: The Monstrous Nightmare

Dagur was nothing if not completely unpredictable. And when no one had seen him for eight weeks following his refusal to renew the peace treaty, not to mention threaten the future chief, every day he did not act was less comforting. Hiccup found himself jumping at the smallest disturbances and he had become even more protective of Astrid than before.

Astrid herself went out of her way to avoid her husband. It wasn't just the secrets that weighed her down almost as much as her unborn child but Hiccup was becoming incredibly annoying. She was beginning to feel like she wasn't allowed to be by herself anymore. Of course, this thought made her want to be alone as much as possible. When she looked her husband in the eye, she felt a horrible surge of guilt for faking her happiness through this pregnancy, especially now that she had put on so much weight that no amount of loose clothing could possibly hide it. Her heart felt like it was on fire most of the time and she was too tired to carry any weapons except a few daggers.

She dearly wished that, by this time, she would want that little baby growing steadily inside of her body. Instead, with every kick, she winced and felt her heart fall a little more. She did not want this and no amount of forcing herself to think about how wonderful it would be to hold her little baby in her arms would change her mind. It seemed as though she was somehow determined to resent this innocent child, a fact she had told a frustrated Heather a few days previously.

"Once this baby is born, you'll change your mind." Heather had said, leaning against a tree trunk and fixing her eyes on Astrid's belly, which was moving on its own.

"What if I don't?" Astrid placed a hand on her belly and felt every kick, desperately wishing she could be glad for her child's steadily beating heart. "I mean what if I have this baby and... and I just..."

"That's not going to happen." Heather assured her. "After everything you've gone through with this baby, you're going to take one look at him or her and just... I've heard the other women on Berk talk about it. You're going to be happier than you've ever been in your life."

"Yeah right." said Astrid, attempting to get to her feet and wincing in pain. "My ankles may never be the same size again."

"Small price to pay for motherhood, I guess." Heather shrugged.

"Except I don't want to..."

"Yes, yes, I know." Heather frowned in an attempt to change the subject. "So I hear Ruffnut and Snotlout are not doing very well."

Astrid hadn't heard too much but Heather was correct; the once amorous couple seemed to be annoying each other. In fact, it was rare to see them in the same room anymore. Or even the same part of the island. Anyone who happened to catch them together, whether at the Great Hall or in the arena, would be able to tell that there had been some sort of disagreement and neither of them wanted to bring it up. Astrid had watched them with amusement over the last few weeks. Not being allowed to ride Stormfly anymore, it was the only entertainment left.

Over the last few weeks, Hiccup sat in on meetings with his father, figuring that he might as well learn as much as possible before his baby was born and he was too tired to do anything. Astrid had been too tired to sit in on these meeting as well but she had been so boredlately that she decided to tag along. Hiccup thought it was rather awkward to walk in with his incredibly pregnant wife in tow but it was dangerous to tell Astrid not to do something nowadays. She sat down next to him at the head of the table, all eyes turning to look at her instead of her husband or father-in-law. She glared at the Vikings who dared to look her in the eye and was greeted with the sight of many heads abruptly turning away as though they hadn't been staring at her moments before. Deciding it was probably best to get a move on, Stoick began to speak.