For Milady

ONE: No Regrets

A/N: A/N: Okay, this random idea came to me while preparing to attend my niece's wedding-an AU set during RTTE season 5. (No offence to my niece Ingrid-it was a lovely wedding but it got me thinking about the subject of marriages and weddings in general...) The story will dip in and out of season 5 and will be AU so events won't directly follow the whole season. Hiccup and Astrid are now boyfriend/girlfriend but not betrothed yet...and suddenly there is a major problem. Will our favourite couple manage to overcome the biggest obstacles possible?

I do not own How to Train Your Dragon. Rights remain with Cressida Cowell and Dreamworks.

oOo

ONE: No regrets

Surrounded by warmth, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, Heir to Berk, Rider of Toothless the Night Fury and leader of the Dragon Riders,snuggled instinctively down under his blankets away from the cold air in his hut. He was still muzzy and exhausted, his head feeling stuffed with fluff and aching after the celebration the previous night. Somehow, Snotlout had managed to smuggle in a barrel of his father Spitelout's strongest mead and the Riders, throwing a party to celebrate the easing of the lava flows and a welcome break from the constant fight to preserve their home, had thrown themselves into it.

Hiccup shifted slightly and felt something move against him. He blinked, his head really pounding with the after-effects of the strongest mead that Berk had to offer. He recalled drinking-something he didn't have much experience at-and he sort-of remembered finding a lot of things hilarious. The twins had pranked Fishlegs and Snotlout and both his friends had ended up covered in green dye and leaves before Snotlout had tried to chase them all over the edge, ending up hanging by a foot over the drop with Barf and Belch butting him like a whinging punch bag. Hiccup's lips stretched in a small smile, his eyes still tightly closed against the day. Snotlout hadn't responded well to the swinging motion and he made a mental note to order the twins to clean up the mess when they finally emerged. Earlier in the evening, Heather and Astrid had challenged Snotlout to a drinking contest, refusing to acknowledge that the stocky rider was in any way better than they were. In the end, everyone had been giggly and slurring and someone had suggested they go on a race around the island...

He was comfortable, his body heavy with weary lassitude and he felt a hand press gently against his naked chest, silky hair rubbing over his shoulder and he felt a warm, naked body shift slightly against him. His eyes slammed open to see gold hair strewn across his vision and over milky pale shoulders, a small hand resting lightly against chest. He took a shuddering breath as he felt Astrid's leg move against his. She was as naked as he was, their limbs tangled and her body snuggled neatly into his. She smelled as she always did-of fresh air and pine with the unfamiliar sweet scent of mead-and her hair was insanely wild. It was one of the many things he adored about her-that she was controlled and precise and always looked immaculate but at night, her hair rebelled and first thing in the morning, she looked as if she had been through a hurricane. Quietly, he nuzzled into her hair.

"S'too early, babe," she murmured hoarsely, not moving and her hand slid over his skin. He realised his hand was resting gently on her waist under the covers, the soft skin dipping before rising over the gentle curve of her hip. He felt heat rising slowly in his cheeks at the realisation of what had happened. What did he recall?

"So you think you can beat me, dragon boy?" Astrid's voice, though slurred, was still confident and teasing and a surge of proper viking pride had welled in his chest.

"Any day of the week, Milady," he had replied, a smirk lighting his face. "I do ride the 'unholy offspring of lightning and death itself'!" He glanced to the side and Toothless had cracked open an unimpressed eye. "Back me up, bud! Do you think Stormfly and Astrid can beat us around the island?" The small coo of the weary dragon had only fired him up more. "Aww, c'mon baby boo! You wanna be beaten by the girls?"