For Milady

THREE: Surprises

"But something has happened," she said, not asking a question. "Your reaction told me that!" With a sigh, Astrid nodded. Heather pulled her to one side, shielded behind the huts.

"Okay-spill," she insisted, leaning close. "I'm your best friend and I need to know. What's happened?" Suddenly, the wooden walkway was very interesting as Astrid's cheeks heated with a blush.

"Um...it wasn't really planned...I mean, we must have been complete idiots to touch Spitelout's mead because that stuff can dissolve a mace, honestly...but anyway we all did...and then we raced round the island...and then we went back and..."

Heather squeaked, her eyes round and mouth open.

"Oh my Thor!" she gasped. "You and Hiccup...actually...all the way...?" Astrid nodded.

"Actually more than once," she admitted softly. "Once when we were very, very drunk...and in the morning, when we found out...um...we sort of again..." She blushed more fiercely and Heather suddenly hugged her.

"I'm so happy for you," she whispered.

"I don't regret a second," Astrid told her fiercely.

"How was he?" Heather asked softly and there was a pause as Astrid pulled slightly back.

"You know how he is with dragons?" she asked and her friend nodded. "Well, the same gentle, caring, brave, amazing guy made love to me..." Heather was grinning uncontrollably and hooked her arm through Astrid's, hauling her away to her hut, which they had shared when Heather was part of the Riders.

"You have to tell me everything," she said as they headed along the walkway. Astrid nodded.

"Oh-did you manage to ask your healer if she could get me something for my symptoms?" she asked and Heather nodded. They walked slowly to the hut , arm in arm.

"Yes," Heather said evasively. "So you've had breast soreness for the last month or more, been incredibly tired, a little sick without your usual appetite and constipated." Astroid stared at her.

"I didn't tell you the last one," she said warily as Heather pushed her into the hut and slammed the door.

"When did you sleep with Hiccup?" the raven-haired girl demanded. Astroid stared at her.

"Three months ago," she said.

"And when did you last bleed?" Heather demanded.

"Well I..." she began and opened her mouth...and then stopped. She couldn't recall when. It had always been so busy but she would have noticed if her moon time hadn't come-wouldn't she? She frowned.

"That's not a good sign," Heather told her worriedly and Astrid shook her head.

"I must have and..." she began but blinked. "Two weeks before the mead. That's the last one I remember...but that can't be right? I mean, I'm tired because it's been so hectic. Maybe I haven't because of the stress as well..."

"But you didn't have any problems when we were fighting the Hunters or before?" Heather checked and Astrid shook her head.

"But it was just once! And I'm not being sick all the time..."

"Stina, our Healer, says it's a myth that all pregnant women throw up," she explained, sitting on the bed beside Astrid. "Extreme tiredness and lack of energy are very common. Feeling sick is very common and being sick is also-though not always in the morning, and not every woman has much or any sickness. Breast tenderness, soreness and increased breast size are also symptoms, as are constipation, strange dreams, heartburn and fluid retention." Astrid was shaking her head. "Astrid-you're pregnant." The blonde shook her head urgently.