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

Chapter 26 - Hiccup

I hear awful coughs and sniffs coming from my bedroom. Astrid has been fighting this cold for the last week or so which has weakened my pitiful love; not to mention the baby is due any minute. She's been on bed rest with nothing but soup and water. It's early in the morning and I am downstairs with Zephyr after her usual sunrise wake up time.

"HICCUP!", Astrid screams from upstairs.

I leave my place on the floor with Zephyr and her journals and race up the wooden steps.

Astrid is standing awkwardly half naked in our room. I'm slightly amused but immediately switched into serious mode when I realize her water has broken.

"It's time", she says and I run and grab her comfortable pants to slip on.

"Zephyr! Can you please grab your satchel that we packed for you for grandmas?!", I try to say from upstairs.

She gasps loudly, "Oh no! Is the baby going to be born?"

She's so smart.

"Yes sweetie, please hurry!", I call as Astrid feels the contractions intensify.

"Can you walk, love?", I ask a half breathing Astrid.

"I... I think so...", she barely says before wincing at another wave of tightening.

I get behind her to brace her arms as squeezes my hand in pain. Honestly, I'm pretty glad that it's our second baby and we mostly know what to expect.

I help my bride down the long, steep steps and get my family out the door.

"Mom?!", I shout from the pathway, hoping she'd hear me from several yards away. Thank the gods Gobber was just outside as I caught his glance.

"Gobber! Take Zephyr to my mom's and meet us at Gothi's!", I instruct and he hobbles over to take her hand.

"Here love, come with Grandper!", they jog off.

"Ohhhhh Hiccup, this is really bad... AHHHHHH", she holds the bottom of her swollen belly. It's much more pronounced than the last time around and this kid is already a week or two late.

It was about time...!

"Astrid do you want me to carry you?", I try to pick her up but she stops me.

"No no, it will hurt my back more", she takes a hold of my arm and we creep up the hill to Gothi's hut.

________

After what felt like ages, we finally made it up the steps to her tall home.

Astrid was absolutely exhausted already and she hasn't even given birth to the baby yet.

Her contractions weren't this intense the first time... I'm beginning to worry as Gothi examines all over her body with urgent, furrowed eyebrows. Which aren't just from her older age now.

The roundness of my wife's beautiful face was glistening with sweat and red with flushed skin. Tears slowly crept down her cheek and I bite my lip, upset that I'm unable to do anything to help. The same guilt a father always feels as his wife is in labor.

Gothi scribbles something in the sand on her table and Gobber comes just in time to translate.

"Fever. Need to keep her cool with ice", he says and my stomach drops to my feet.

"Hiccup...", she croaks from her spot on the table bed. A cough follows.

I slowly move the damp blonde streaks from her forehead and I feel the heat radiating from it. Holding her hand in my other one, she weakly locks her fingers in mine.