Snowfall on Berk

Epilogue

~Hiccup~~Three Years Later~

Astrid's screams rang throughout the hut. We were expecting our third child, and it decided to come early. Almost six and a half weeks early according to Gothi. I was worried, as was everyone else. Because we could lose the baby, Astrid, or both because of this. All we had to do was pray to Odin they'd both survive.

Astrid gives out another scream. She clamps down on my hand even tighter. It's painful but I'm not going to complain. I can only imagine what she's going through right now.

To our luck Heather was visiting when our baby decided to come early. So she took the three year old twins to my mother's hut, and away from a screaming mother. Thank Thor for friends like Heather.

"Just a little bit more Astrid," my mother says.

"I-I-I can't," Astrid sobs.

She has been laying in pain for nearly an entire day. I knew she could do it. She's Astrid.

"You can Astrid. I know you can. It will soon be over," I say comfortingly.

She screams out again as pain runs through her body.

What feels like eternity passes, and soon I'm holding a tiny baby girl. Astrid had passed out soon after she was born, and I couldn't help but worry. I couldn't lose her. I can't lose her. We had almost lost the baby, now we can't lose her.

The baby was tiny. She's so tiny she could fit on just my palms. She didn't have a heartbeat, but Gothi was able to save her. But as soon as Gothi saved our baby, Astrid lost consciousness. Astrid was ghostly pale from blood loss, and it wasn't looking good for her. I couldn't pace because of the baby, so I had to sit still and just look at the beauty of our baby girl.

Soon my mother comes out of the bedroom. She doesn't look upset, but she doesn't look happy.

"Astrid is fine. She's awake if you want to see her," my mother said.

So I walk into the room and see Astrid propped up on some pillows. Her blonde hair framing her face, and sweat dotting her head. I sit down on the bed next to her, and allow her to hold the baby.

"Oh Hiccup. She's so small," she says with sadness in her voice.

"I know," I reply.

"Your daughter is very small. Even smaller than you were Hiccup. I was so afraid I was going to lose you. Gothi fears the baby won't make it through the winter."

Winter was far from over here, and my mother and Gothi were right. Our daughter may not make it through winter. But you have to have hope. If she is anything like her mother she is a fighter.

"No. She may be small but look at me, look at Astrid. I made it through the toughest yet. And Astrid she's a warrior. If anything our little girl will make it. She will change the lives of those around her. She will make it. I just know it," I say.

My mother smiles. "That's what your father said about you. And he wasn't wrong," she says.

Just then wind batted against the house. Indicating we were in for a cold winter.

"But what if she doesn't Hiccup? She's so small," Astrid said.

"Just have faith that she will. She deserves a fighting chance. And if she doesn't make it, that just means she wasn't meant to be here. Odin had other plans for her that didn't include us. She has a place. We just have to see it," I say laying into Astrid.

"I hope you're right."

"M'lady, when am I ever wrong?"

She gives me a side look, and I smile. As the wind beats against the hut, our daughter opens her eyes for the first time. She has crystal blue eyes exactly like her mother's. There was no hair yet, so that means it hasn't grown yet, or she had Astrid's hair. Right then I could tell she was a warrior.

"Ryland," I say.

"What?" Astrid questions.

"I think her name should be Ryland."

"I think that is a perfect name."

"Well then. Welcome to the world Ryland Haddock."

And like that or lives were changed. Like most things were, in the snowfall on Berk.