When I Come Back

Thinking

Hiccup

   Right now I couldn't think of anything that felt better than Astrid falling asleep on me in front of the fire. 

   Ingrid heads to bed and Herleif stands, "I'll take her to bed. You go home and get some sleep lass." 

   I let him grab her and her warmth leaves me. Thus, leaving me cold and wanting her back into my arms. 

   Reluctantly, Toothless and I head home and go to sleep. 

***

   The morning air was crisp and dewy as the clouds darkened the sky. Berk storm preparations were definitely in my near future.  

"Hiccup!!" shouts three different people in three different directions. 

"We need to talk!" Astrid shouts along with my father who yells, "There's much to be done!!" along with Oliver who shouts, " Second day of planning!!" 

   I yawn and share a look with Toothless who is looking at me as if sayng, 'So it's going to be that type of day?'

   All three vikings approach me. "I will talk to Astrid, my dad, and Oliver. In that order."

"Hiccup, the two of you cannot put your planning off any longer!" Oliver pushes. 

"Ok, then I'll talk to you before I speak with my father." 

"Hiccup, there is a storm approaching! It is more urgent to get the island prepared than it is to plan a wedding that won't be able to take place if the entire island is under water!" my father pushes harder. 

   I sigh, "I'll sort this out when I'm done speaking with Astrid." 

   Astrid and I walk into my house and I shut the wind out with the door. 

"I had a dream." Astrid says, staring off into the distance. 

   My curiosity came in handy in situations like these, "What was it about?" 

   She looked at me, she was nervous to say exactly what she saw, "Do - Is - Are-....." 

"It's ok Astrid. You can tell me." I tried to encourage her.

   She sighs, "In the future, like sometime after the wedding ceremony, or whenever, um, would you want to have kids? Maybe?"

  I couldn't help but smile at how shy Astrid was in saying this. I've never given much thought to being a dad in my entire life, but now different pictures flashed through my head of us with kids. 

"Was that what you dreamed about?" 

"Yeah, it was the first time I ever dreamed about that before. It just felt so real and it had me thinking. How great would it be to share all of our experiences with them. To see what they'll grow up to be and all that they'll accomplish. I don't know....It just got me thinking a little."

"Astrid, I would love that. In due time, however right now we have a lot to catch up on and to plan. " 

"Right, I know that, I just wanted to see where your head was at with that." 

   I smile, "I'm right with you."

   Her cheeks began to turn rosy, "Now let's go deal with Oliver and the Cheif."

She's going to be an amazing Cheiftess. 

   We walk back outside to see my father guiding everyone in their preparations. While Oliver stood patiently at the door with Frolic. 

 "Why don't I spend the day planning with Oliver, while you help your father with preparations? We can meet up for lunch and go over everything." she suggests. 

"Couldn't have thought of a better plan myself!" It felt good to see Astrid confident again. 

   I left Astrid with a kiss on the cheek. 

***

Astrid

   After watching Hiccup and Toothless fly off, I turn to Oliver. 

"I have finished the drawing, but I want to reveal it to both you and Hiccup. So today we'll start on what food you would like to be served during the ceremony." he responds on cue. 

"Hiccup and I both love yak chops which can be served with some cooked carrots and peas." 

   Oliver makes note in his journal, " Love it! Now for dessert, you're going to want to pick a few."

   I pause to think, it's been a bit since I've eaten any desserts, "Some oat cookies, jelly tarts, and elderberry pie."

"Ok, great! We'll go over this with your betrothed and see if he has any suggestions. In the mean time, let's move on to decorations. To start off, what would you like all of your guests to sit on?" 

"I imagined them sitting on thick logs that had a bit of moss growing on the ends. Hiccup and I would be standing on one that's smaller, but matching."

   Oliver gasps, " Yes! I looove it! Now would you want to have a decorated arch above you and Hiccup? Or did you just want to put decorations in the tree?" 

   I had to take a moment to imagine the two different ideas, "I like the thought of decorations in the tree better. We could decorate it with strung up lanterns and flowers."

"OOooooo, yes!! What color would the flowers be?" Oliver was getting very excited about this part of the planning. 

"I would like all the flowers to be blue, red, purple, and white. Each one representing something different."

"Oh Thor yes! White is symbolism of both you and your betrothed's virtue. Blue represents you as a person, while the red is for Hiccup. Purple will be the symbolic flower of your unity as a cheif and cheiftess!" 

   I smiled as I thought over what every color symbolized, "I like that."

"Great! Let's go on down to the cove and I can make some revisions to my sketch!"