Until They Can Return in Peace - How to Train Your Dragon

Chapter 16 - Astrid

I wake up groggily as I look around the bedroom around me.
It's quiet.
The sun is shining through the curtains and I want to get up to peek out, but my body won't let me. I'm exhausted, not to mention the soreness I have... eh, never mind.

I look over and Hiccup is sitting straight up, passed out with the baby in his arms.

He's done all he can to help me through the nights, but it's tiring for both of us regardless.

"Wwaaaahhhhhh", Zephyr softly cries and Hiccup is thrown from his deep sleep.

"I got her", I whisper, "she's hungry again".

I adjust myself before pulling her into my arms to breastfeed.

"Oh Astrid I'm sorry, I meant to keep her quiet longer"

"Hiccup it's okay. The first couple of weeks will be hard. But, we've made through the first several days!", I say enthusiastically.

"You're amazing", he kisses me sweetly.

Once Zephyr is done feeding, I very gently pat her back over my shoulder, just as my mother taught me.

I rise from the bed and put her in her bassinet swaddled perfectly.

I exhale as I crawl back in bed for just a few more moments. Hiccup has already dozed off and I go and curl myself up to his back, wrapping my arms and legs around him.

He stirs a little, making a deep noise from his throat.

"Mm", he puts his arms over mine and holds my fingers.

"Do you have to get going early? Or can you stay in a little longer?", I ask a half asleep Hiccup.

"*sighs forcefully* I think I have to get up here in a minute... Gobber needs help with a few things before we get started. And I have to check with Eret and the Berk Guard to see if there's been any sightings of the two rogue tribes", he says and I'm already tired listening to him.

"I'm sorry you didn't get much sleep... I wish I could go with you"

"I know, but your job right now is the most important. Taking care of Zephyr", he rolls over and we're laying nose to nose.

It's been a little while since I've been able to snuggle him close without a big belly in the way. I adore us like this. As close as we can possibly get in the quiet of our home. Now we have a little snoozing baby in the corner. It's absolutely insane how time flies and things change. But I couldn't be more thrilled to do it all with Hiccup.

His eyes leave my face in a somber way and I look at him confused.

"What's wrong?"

"I just realized...", he says in a totally different mood from moments ago.

"What?"

"It's been a year"

———————

I finally am able to wear my usual choice of clothing and armor again. I finish getting ready besides my long blonde hair, which I pull part of it up and braid it in the back after putting on my headband.

"She's really got your eyes Astrid", Heather says bouncing a smiling Zephyr around the house.

"Yeah, that's what Hiccup says too. But she has that Haddock red hair. Just like her grandfather's", I smile at my friend through the mirror.

"You okay?", she asks.

"What? Oh yeah, I guess..."

She looks at me concerned and I sigh going over to take Zephyr.

"Hiccup reminded me this morning that it's been a year since the dragons left"

"Oh my gods it has. That's wild"

"I know... but he left in a disgruntled way earlier. I haven't seen him this distraught since we've been married. It's like he took 2,000 steps backwards"

His soulful eyes had almost vanished right in front of me as we were cuddled close. The joy that he created and carried for many moons now left him.

I would be lying if I didn't say it upset me myself, but there was something else behind his sadness... I am going to find out what.

"Well, I think it's good you're going to go out into the village and try to help him with Chiefing. It gets you out of the house too", she smiles.

"What are you going to do?"

"What? Me? Oh nothing, you don't have to worry about me?", she laughs uncomfortably.

"O-kay...?", I look at her confused.

I grab my extra satchel of Zephyrs things and I head out the door.

Within moments, the villagers begin to come up to me one by one to get a sneak of the new baby of the Chief.

"Chieftess Astrid she's beautiful!", people would tell me left and right.

I thank them as I made my way down the path.

"Astrid?!", I hear my husbands voice as he walks out of the great hall.

"Hey!" , I excitedly say going to hug him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well I wanted to get out of the house and maybe help out a little bit too?", I smile.

"Zephyr missed her dad"

He's happy to see me, but there's a slight hint of resistance in his dorky grin. His chin scruff slightly poking through, he rubs it forcefully.

"Astrid you just had a baby, you need rest", he says and I'm a little annoyed.

I know he's hiding something from me. He's not telling me the truth when his hand keeps rubbing the back of his neck, his nostrils flare intensely with his awkward laugh, and he tends to balance and bounce on his prosthetic leg.

"Hiccup I am much better, and you know me, I can't just sit when our village needs to get things done", I say sneering.

Hiccup begins to ramble a little about how the twins are moving something around.

I interrupt, "Babe what is going on. You're not yourself and I can tell there's something you're not telling me".

He's caught off guard, but not surprised I'm curious.

"Of course you do. You're Astrid", he looks to his side.

Okay, we are grown adults and married, there shouldn't be any room for this childish nonsense.

"Hiccup. Just tell me what's going on. Why are you keeping secrets from me?"

"I'm not keeping it from you! I just didn't want you to be worried or stressed with Zephyr, and I want her protected too", he says quickly.

"Protected?", I raise an angry eyebrow.

"There's been sightings of the Fractious Berserkers..."

"Okay? And?", I say angry at the fact that this is the thing he's so hesitant to tell me.

"Astrid... they've captured Dagur"

Zephyr coos and I bounce her as my blood begins rushing throughout my body.

"What?", I say in shock.

"I didn't want to upset Heather and her go off on her own to rescue him and get stuck herself", he says.

"The word is, is that Heather has the highest bounty on her head. Not really sure why, but she's wanted by them more than the Chief and Queen", he adds.

I am eased that he told me, but vengeance rose within me all the same.

"That's why Mala sent her here for a few weeks to help you with the baby. To also keep her hidden. And if they find out where's she's been hiding, that exposes all of us and Zephyr", Hiccup says, shakily with fear in his tone.

"We can't tell Heather"