In Between and After The Hidden World

Miracles Happen

She was getting annoyed. Beyond annoyed. Horrendously annoyed, no pun intended. She and Hiccup had been married for four months now; and within that first month, the women of the village had started sneaking glances not so subtle glances down to her stomach. 'What good is she if she doesn't give him an heir?' 'Do you think she's barren?' 'Maybe he's going to take a mistress to have an heir.'

Oh, that last one had really angered her. So much so, she had marched right over to the woman that uttered the sentence, got right up in her face, and told her off; saying that unless she had the guts to say that in front of her face, as well as Hiccup's, she had no damn right to spread such an awful rumor around the village.

But being honest with herself, she had started to silently question whether or not she was barren. She wanted to have a baby, as she knew Hiccup did too; and they had been trying for three months. But with not having a result yet, it made her slightly nervous. Which was why she was currently on her way to Gothi's.

She hadn't talked to Hiccup about going to see Gothi about her fertility, she didn't want him to worry or tell her that she was being silly for listening to the hens. So even though she wanted him with her, she didn't tell him, and just left right after he went out for his chiefly duties.

Taking a deep breath, she rapped three times on the door of Gothi's healing house. She jumped when the small woman swung the door open and stared blankly up at her. She looked away and rubbed her arm nervously. "Um...I-I need to ask you something in private." She stuttered.

Not saying a word, as she hadn't in years, Gothi turned and led Astrid inside. Locking the door behind them, she gestured the chiefess over to one of the beds, having her sit down. Writing in some sand she spread over the floor, she asked Astrid what she was in need of.

"Hiccup and I have been trying to have a baby for three months, but we haven't gotten any results." She read Gothi's reply and nodded. "We know it takes time...but...some of the women have been spreading rumors about the two of us and it's making me really uncomfortable. No! This is not because I think I'm barren. I mean...I guess I might be a little worried...but it's not the reason. I just wanna know if there's something going on that could be preventing me from getting pregnant." She told the old woman.

When Gothi told her to lay down, she did so, and pulled her shirt up. She waited impatiently as the elder examined her. It seemed to take a lifetime, and when she was finally told to sit up again, she did so quickly. "So?" She inquired.

'You're not pregnant. It might be difficult to get pregnant.' Gothi wrote in the sand.

Astrid gulped and choked on tears she refused to let spill. "B-but I'm not barren? Right?" She whispered.

'I don't know.'

That response sunk in her stomach. Unable to say anything, she just nodded and got up to leave. She went straight home and collapsed into a chair at the table. As soon as she did, she broke down and sobbed into her hand.

That was how Hiccup came home to find her. He could hear her wrenching cries from the front door, and immediately feared the worst. Racing to the kitchen, he knelt next to her and cupped her cheeks lovingly. "Hey. Hey. Hey. What's wrong, my darling? What's the matter? Astrid, talk to me." He begged her.

She rested her head on his shoulder and tried to ease her cries. "I-I went to see Gothi today." She whispered.

He encircled his arms around her and rocked her gently. "Ok. Why?"

"I heard some of the women talking, and I was worrying, because we've been try for three months, that I might be barren. G-Gothi told me...she doesn't know if I'm barren or not, but it may be hard for me to get pregnant." She sobbed.