Chief's wedding

Wedding prep

The Hoffason house

Back at Astrid's she stands in the middle of the main room of her house while Snotlowt's mother takes measurements for the dress with a strip of leather marked with notches at regular intervals as Magnhild is sitting at the table writing down the measurements then Mrs Jorgenson announces them. 

"I still don't know why you insist on doing most of the work yourself" Mrs Jorgenson says taking another measurement. "It's about wanting to proof she's capable of doing the domestic things" Magnhild replies, Mrs Jorgenson gives a small laugh. "Who ever heard of a Hoffason being domestic?" She says with a shake of her head. "Even the women that marry in are more warrior than house wife" "I don't see the problem with that!" Magnhild shots back, Astrid rolling her eyes as she realizes just where this is going. 

"At least we know our place & don't go getting ideas above our station" "Says the women whose daughter is marrying the Chief" Mrs Jorgenson says. "Stop it both of you!" Astrid snaps crossing her arms. "This is not the time for your usual bickering, we have less than a week to get this done & if we waste time arguing it'll never be finished in time" Magnhild & Mrs Jorgenson apologize & Mrs Jorgenson starts rolling up the strip of measuring leather.    

"So do we have enough fabric?" Astrid asks joining her mother & Mrs Jorgenson at the table. "Oh we have enough fabric" Mrs Jorgenson replies. "There's hardly enough of you for us to run out of fabric, you can easily afford to make a few mistakes" "I'd rather not make any mistakes & if I don't the fabric could be useful" Astrid says "For what?" Mrs Jorgenson says. "Other clothes, maybe a few nightdresses I'll decide when I finish" "Well we should make a start" Magnhild says picking up the roll of white fabric that had been sitting on the table.   

Astrid & Mrs Jorgenson start to clear away the rest of the stuff on the table to make room for the rolled out fabric, they manage to work for most of the afternoon & early evening without bickering, enough to get the fabric cut & the sewing started.

By the time Mrs Jorgenson leaves it is starting to get dark & Astrid is still sewing the first seam. "You should take a break for tonight" Magnhild says as she light's a few candles around the room. "It's getting too dark to do such delicate work" "I've got the firelight" Astrid points out. "That's really not enough light, & a break really wouldn't hurt" "I guess so mum" "Go take that all upstairs & I'll get dinner started, will we be having a certain person joining us tonight?" "Not tonight mum I band him from staying with me for a week to make it better on the wedding night" Her mum smiles.

Astrid folds up the fabric before gathering up the sewing equipment & taking the lot up to her room, as she passes her bedroom window she looks out to see Hiccup's house & the close to being completely finished extension, there is no sign of anyone being inside, so Astrid can only guess that Hiccup is still going through his to-do list & Volka is spending the evening in the Great Hall, Astrid places the things she is carrying on her bed before going back to the window, looking out at the house she'd be living in, wondering what it looks like inside & counting down the days until she finally gets to see it.   

The forge

Hiccup is in the back room of the forge going through designs he'd done for Astrid's morning gift, the rings he'd just finished are sitting in the wooden box on the table, the Gronckle iron they are made from glittering in the candlelight, he really should be heading home to get something to eat & get some sleep but time is running out & he doesn't want to end the day without knowing what the morning gift is going to be, he wants a gift suitable for a woman like Astrid.

Gobber comes into the back room already attaching his mug hand onto the stump where his left hand should be. "I'm all done" He says. "Heading to the Great hall, fancy joining us?" "I can't" Hiccup replies. "I have to finish making a decision" "You can't make a decision on a empty stomach or any rest" "I can try" Gobber sighs & sits down on the second chair in the room.

"Hiccup, I know this is important to you but you can't work yourself too hard or you won't be able to enjoy your wedding day or night" He says. "Come to the Great Hall with me & have something to eat & a few drinks, you can talk through the options with the others & we can help you make a decision" "I guess it can't hurt" Hiccup says. "Just as long as everyone promises not to tell Astrid anything about these plans" "I'll make sure of it" Hiccup starts to gather up the sheets of paper with the designs for the morning gift on them, then closes the lid on the box holding the rings. "I want to drop these off at home first" Hiccup says getting up & picks up the box.    

"Now where's Toothless?" "He left about half an hour ago" Gobber replies also getting up. "Went looking for some food I'm guessing, most likely at the Hoffason's now" "Well we better tell him where I am" Hiccup hides the papers inside his armour, where he'd normally keep his to-do list & the map he'd made, he follows Gobber out of the forge & they head for the Great Hall, when they get to Astrid's house Hiccup lets Gobber carry on while he rushes off to Astrid's to check if Toothless is there.

Outside the Hoffason house

Astrid was just coming out of the stables with an empty basket when Hiccup arrives. "Well, well, well, Seems you couldn't even last a day" She jokes. "Hay, I just came to see if my dragon decided to come to you for dinner!" Hiccup shotsays back, unable to hide his smile. "He's inside" Hiccup looks inside the stables to see Toothless, Stormfly & the baby dragons eating from a pile of fish, some of the babies deciding it was fun to clime over their farther as they ate. 

"Looks like he's settled here" Hiccup says, turning back to Astrid. "I'm sending him back to yours when he's finished eating" Astrid says. "Don't want people to think you've been spending the night here again" "I'm only heading home briefly to drop the rings back there, then I'll be in the Great Hall" "Then I'll send him there then" "Will I see you there tonight?" "Maybe, If you give me a little sneak peek at the rings" Hiccup thinks for a moment, then opines the box to show Astrid the rings, they'd both been carved with Deadly Nadder's & Night Furies between the knot designs, Astrid gasps when she sees them, they are amazing. 

"What do you think?" Hiccup asks. "I love them!" Astrid explains. "Are they?" "Gronckle iron, yeah, I know it's not gold" "I'll go for the strongest metal in the world regardless of how common & cheap it is over rare & expensive just because it's what people expect, & when do we ever do anything anyone expects?" 

Hiccup smiles & closes the box. "So, will I see you later?" He asks. "We'll see" Astrid says. "Now you should get going, I bet you've got people waiting for you in the Great Hall, & my parents are going to start wondering where I am if I don't get inside soon" Hiccup gives Astrid a quick kiss goodbye before he walks off towards his house, Astrid watches him go for a while before heading back inside thinking that she might just decide to go to the Great Hall for a drink or later on after all.