THIRTY NINE: Family
The afternoon was a glorious sunny affair, the warmth caressing the Edge and illuminating the happy couple. Hiccup looked pale but restored by an apologetic Fishlegs, who had dosed him with raw eggs, willowbark, milk and a mixture of herbs suggested by his botany book which could cure 'All The Ills of Meade'. Dressed in his armour, polished within an inch of its life, a new red tunic and fresh leggings and with his lightly-tamed hair glossy in the sunlight, Hiccup's face was lit by his smile as his bride made her proud way from her hut to the Clubhouse.
Astrid was dressed in a long dress of sky blue made of material that Heather had brought from Berserk and which the twins and Hjordis had transformed into an elegant gown, stitched with gold around the sweetheart neck, cuffs and hem. There were little gold axes embroidered at the hem, along with small dragons and tiny gems-a gift from Granite Isle to their departing Chief-were sewn in to represent the dragons' eyes. Her Betrothal gift hung around her neck and in her hands, she carried a small posy of Forget-me-nots. Her Maid of Honour, Heather, and Assistant Maid of Honour, Ruffnut, were dressed in silver-grey gowns with white elder-flowers in their posies.
Dagur was almost bouncing with excitement, clean-shaven and in polished armour and an iron circlet, looking every inch a Chief with Snotlout at his side, representing Berk. Hiccup's Best Man was, of course, the sleek black shape of Toothless, the dragon looking excited as well, with big green eyes and pricked ears. The others were assembled in the Clubhouse with the dragons perched on the walkway outside as the couple faced each other framed by the doorway with the sunlight streaming over them. Hjordis rocked Valkana, who was sucking hard on her little fist, her blue eyes wide and watchful.
"We are gathered here to celebrate the wedding here on Dragon's Edge of these two young Vikings, chosen by each other for love and sworn to each other in the same," Dagur announced. "Fearless Astrid Hofferson, Chief of Granite Island, Shield Maiden of Berk, Rider of Stormfly the Deadly Nadder, do you agree to marry the Dragon Master, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, leader of the Dragon Riders, conquerer of the Red Death, son of Stoick the Vast, Chief of Berk, adoptive brother of Dagur the Deranged, Chief of Berserk, rider of Toothless the Night Fury?"
"I do!" Astrid's voice was loud and steady and Hiccup found himself lost in her eyes which were lit with her love for him.
"I do!" he replied when he was asked the same question.
Dagur stared at them and carefully placed their hands together. Smiling, he placed his own hand over theirs.
"Does anyone object to this union?" he asked as Heather glared across the room and Toothless growled. There was silence, interrupted by Chicken squawking.
"She says she loves weddings!" Tuff piped up hastily as Heather looked fit to axe the fowl to death.
"Moving swiftly on..." Dagur said quickly. "Astrid-do you take Hiccup to be your husband? Will you love and honour, cherish and protect him? Will you respect his individuality, attend to his needs, lift him when he is down, share in his joy, bask in his adoration and love him forever?"
There was a pause and Fishegs sniffed.
"I will," Astrid said clearly.
"Hiccup-do you take Astrid to be your wife? Will you love and honour, cherish and protect her? Will you respect her individuality, attend to her needs, lift her when she is down, share in her joy, bask in her adoration, protect and accept the children you have together and love her forever?"
"I will," Hiccup announced without hesitation, his eyes shining with love.
Toothless cooed approval and nudged the carven oak box he had been charged to carry to the ceremony towards Dagur. Ignoring the fact it was drenched in dragon drool, the Berserker Chief opened it to find two beautifully crafted golden rings, Viking runes precisely incised into the delicate band. He lifted the rings on the palm of his hand and closed his eyes.
"Before Odin and the Aesir, I ask these rings be blessed as a symbol of this couple's unending love: as the serpent Jormungardr formed a circle around the world by biting his own tail, let these rings symbolise the love surrounding and binding this couple, now and forever!" He swiftly slid the rings onto the couple's hands and then nodded.
"What has been made as one before the Gods, before three Chiefs and two Heirs, let no man-or woman-rend asunder!" he announced. "You are husband and wife-you may..."
But Hiccup had already hauled Astrid into his arms, his lips moving passionately over hers as his hands slid into her golden hair. Her arms locked around his neck, holding him close. And their eyes were closed, oblivious to their cheering friends, the whistles and whoops of the humans and the roars of the dragons, Hiccup and Astrid were conscious only of each other and that they finally belonged to each other. Beyond contest and contract and any argument, Hiccup finally had his Astrid.
"Any regrets?" she murmured as they finally pulled apart and his eyes fluttered open.
"Not one-because I've waited almost my entire life for this moment," he told her softly. "Love you, Milady."
"Love you, babe," she replied as she kissed him again.
oOo
The wedding feast was a merry affair, with Hiccup restricted to drinking water only, though his aching head reminded him that he was not a big drinker and certainly not very good at holding his liquor. He was surprised, however, because though he knew he and Astrid were incredibly happy and relaxed and Dagur and Mala were totally goofily in love, Snotlout wasn't whining or complaining-because he was chatting very intently to a dark-haired broad-faced Wingmaiden named Minden, one of Atali's younger and more impulsive fighters. Fishlegs and Heather were also giggling at their antics and the twins were engaged in some nonsense-though Tuff was bemoaning that Astrid was crumpling his work.
"You with me?" Astrid murmured, her hand gently brushing over his. He blinked and nodded.
"It's not how I imagined it," he admitted softly. "But the people here...excepting a couple...are exactly who I would have chosen." The unspoken words, the hurt was there, edging his words as he stared into the flames. No matter how bad their relationship had been in the past, Hiccup had become much closer to his father since he ended the war with the dragons and he missed having his father in his life. Not having Stoick at his wedding was an aching pain, a gap in his heart which he knew he could do nothing about...and which could never be fully plugged. As Stoick's only child, this was the Chief's only chance to attend his son's wedding. Hiccup had been distraught that his father had insisted on enforcing the contract made years earlier without his knowledge, ignoring his protests, his wishes and his love for Astrid. And he had been heartbroken that he was forced to make the decision to outcast himself to avoid going through the marriage to Camicazi.
"I know," she reassured him. "I would have liked my parents here as well, babe-but I wouldn't change a thing. And we have the most amazing friends, family and dragons. And no matter what...we have each other. And know, between us, we can finish this." He squeezed her hand.
"There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid," he admitted.
And then the explosions jolted everyone from their conversations and the Riders were on their feet in seconds. Nearest the door, Snotlout glanced out and frowned.
"Guess who's shown up without an invitation!" he snarked as Astrid grabbed the beautiful double-headed axe, graven with runes and images from the Sagas, that Hiccup had given her as his wedding gift.
"No gate crashers!" Ruff growled, whistling for the Zippleback. Dagur glanced over at Mala and Throk.
"Please protect the non-combatants!" he asked sternly, glancing meaningfully over at Hjordis and the sleeping Valkana. "Especially my little niece..." The stern Defender nodded, accepting the charge on behalf of himself and his Queen.
"You have my word," Throk said in his deep voice. "I shall pledge my life to ensure their safety!"
The dragons were edgy and keen to get into the sky and their riders all leapt aboard, launching to meet the Fliers on their Singetails in the sky. Trading blasts with the attackers, the riders swooped and circled, blasting at the riders, using explosions and coming in from all angles to throw the Fliers from their mounts and every time, watching the dragons urgently fly away. The remaining Fliers scooped their fellows from the sea and the menacing shape of Krogan marshalled his men, his evil glare chilling Hiccup as he saw the man inspecting Astrid closely.
Toothless swooped round more tightly than Hiccup had intended, blasting the Singetail three times and separating the man from his dragon...but unlike the others, Krogan's dragon swooped round and collected him, allowing him to flick a brace of powerful blasts at the Night Fury. Astrid barrel-rolled round and shot a spread of spines down at Krogan, with Hookfang blasting a curtain of fire up, so the spines ignited and scorched the leader of the Fliers. The Singetail roared and dived down after the Nadder, Astrid's wedding dress flapping as she bent low over Stormfly's neck and the speedy Nadder darted away.
In an instant, her new husband was accelerating after her, eyes narrowed as he focussed on the Singetail, Viggo's words echoing round his memory.
However, there was only one dragon whose powerful blast could neutralise the Singetail's fire. The Singetail's only predator-the Skrill!
But the Skrill had perished with Viggo in Johann's base and all Hiccup had was brave, faithful Toothless...the last Night Fury, the fastest, smartest and one of the most powerful dragons in the world...who had held his own against the Skrill in the past. Hiccup's lips lifted in a small smile.
"Wanna help me drive off this man who's attacking my mate?" he asked and felt the dragon rumble in response. Suddenly, Toothless's wings folded and they dived even faster, screaming round and launching a blast larger than any Hiccup had seen. There was a roar of pain from the Singetail and a yell of rage from Krogan as a wound was burnt into its side and one pair of wings was torn and scorched. The man cast Hiccup a hateful glare and peeled away, followed by the ragged remains of his force.
"Oh no you don't!" Fishlegs yelled at a Flier on a greenish Singetail that was attacking Astrid's old hut. As Hiccup watched, Meatlug rammed into the giant ballista that Astrid had planted on the roof for self-defence and the huge weapon slammed down, knocking the flier away and slamming the dragon unconscious, pinned under the bulk of frame. Throk raced over to the stunned man and punched him unconscious as Mala appeared at his side, two swords gripped expertly in her strong hands. She looked up and nodded to Hiccup even as Meatlug landed.
"Oh no..." Fishlegs whimpered. "I didn't mean to do that..." But Mala rested a hand on the downed dragon and cast him a reassuring look.
"She lives," she soothed him in her low voice. "She's just stunned..."
"It's not your fault, Fishlegs," Hiccup reassured his friend as they landed. He leapt off to comfort the panicking rider as Toothless sniffed thoughtfully at the downed dragon's flank-and then he gave a small bark. Patting Fish on the shoulder, Hiccup walked round and crouched down, then peeled one of the nuggets of amber from its scales. Astrid looked over his shoulder.
"Is that...Deathsong Amber?" she asked and he nodded.
"Sure looks and feels like it," he admitted. Astrid's breath hitched.
"Garff!" she gasped. "They must have found him and captured him..." But he rose and gently rested his hands on her hips, pulling her close and staring into her eyes.
"Or they could have the adult," he reminded her. "Remember when all this started? We found him terribly hurt on Deathsong Island? What if they had attacked and stolen the adult then? We thought it was hunters-but terribly cruel ones. Doesn't that sound just like Krogan and his men?" She chewed her lip and nodded.
"So why?" she murmured and he stared at the downed Singetail.
"How do you overpower such a powerful dragon to enable you to enslave it?" he asked her.
"You call it in using a Deathsong which subdues it by coating it in amber..." she realised.
"And if we can find the adult, we could cut off their supply of dragons," Hiccup commented.
"Yeah-I heard Snotlout just moaning that there seemed to be a never-ending supply of 'these guys'..." Astrid agreed and they shared a glance. "Oh my Thor...he was right..."
"Please don't tell him that-he'll be unbearable," Hiccup groaned.
"Babe-we gotta check Garff is okay..." Astrid said urgently but he leaned close and kissed her.
"In the morning," he assured her. "We're all tired, we've got to clean up the mess, I think our daughter will want her tea and we need to get out breath back after this battle..."
"And we will need to work out where to look for the Deathsong that captured these Singetails..." Astrid admitted. "Okay-you're right." She smiled. "A Chief learns to listen to her counsellors..."
"Oh Thor...now you're sounding like my father!" he groaned as she giggled and tried to adopt a booming voice.
"Aye, son-I'm a Chief, you know!"
And they both collapsed into giggles, hugging each other as their friends landed around them amid the aftermath of the battle. Snotlout rolled his eyes.
"Is this going to happen every time we go into battle now?" he grumbled as Heather gave a grin.
"Probably," she told him cheerfully.
"Ugh! Call me when the soppy stuff is over!" he said and flew off towards his hut. Heather stared at him and then took Fishlegs's hand.
"You know, there are plenty of yak chops left over in the Clubhouse," she suggested but he looked guiltily at the pinioned Singetail. Mala smiled.
"Throk and I will look after her while you complete your celebrations," she suggested. Immediately Dagur crouched at her side.
"And I'll help," he offered. "Anything to be with you." She blushed as Throk nodded to her.
"Allow me, my Queen," he offered as Sleuther lifted the remains of the ballista from the unconscious dragon. "You and your soon-to-be-King should savour the moments of normalcy you can glean before your own ceremonies!"
"Speaking of which...isn't there the small matter of the last portion of the wedding ceremony..." Tuff began but Hiccup and Astrid glared at him. Swiftly, the Night Fury Rider swept his bride into his arms with a little squeal and looked around.
"Tuffnut Laverne Thorston-since we already have a child together, there is no need for ceremony and our wedding night will be entirely private!" he said.
"And if you try to pry, your sister will have to go looking for a one-headed dragon!" Astrid threatened as Hiccup spun around and limped in the direction of their hut. The male twin folded his arms in pique as his sister rolled about with laughter.
"TYRANTS!"
oOo
Garff was safe when they visited him the following day on the small, wooded island where he was safely concealed and he had greeted Astrid excitedly...and with some confusion. He had nudged at her middle and Hiccup's mind flew back to that mission, months earlier and the young dragon's interest in Astrid.
"He knew," he realised. "He already sensed your pregnancy before you realised it yourself. And now he's wondering...what happened..." Eyes widening in shock, she smiled and stroked the anxious Deathsong gently.
"It's okay, Garff," she reassured him. "The baby is fine. She's back on the Edge. Look, you can come and see her for yourself..."
"Oh no-you are definitely not bringing him back!" Hiccup said quickly. "He is untrained and quite noisy and destructive and do you want Chicken-or Val-encased in amber?"
"But he's so lonely-and if we leave him here...and the Hunters may find him!" she protested.
"Astrid-please...you're killing me...no! He stays here!" he said firmly.
Back at the Edge, Astrid was smugly looking at an exasperated Hiccup, with Garff eagerly nosing his way around the Clubhouse. Chicken had already run off and Tuff was casting dark glares at the young Deathsong...but Garff was acting like a large puppy-and had been gentle and happy when he was shown Valkana, recognising the scent of the woman in the child. And he had given a dissonant croon and then warbled happily, before waddling away.
Between them, Hiccup, Fishlegs and Astrid had located the most likely island for capturing Singetails based on geology, position and ice pike availability but the husky rider had volunteered to stay on the Edge with the unconscious Singetail and Hjordis while the others went on a rescue mission for the adult. Again, Hiccup had vetoed bringing the untrained Garff on the mission but Astrid had insisted and not only did Hiccup have to endure Snotlout's most witty comment ever ('Hiccup Haddock-missing a leg-and a spine') but also the others pointing out he had been married a couple of days and was already totally whipped.
Predictably, the mission had been a disaster, leading to Garff being captured and the Riders trapped in a cave, awaiting the return of Krogan. Only Fishlegs' intervention in discovering that the Singetails were trapped as their eggs in their communal nesting site were hostage had saved them. Using the Cavern Crasher, they had broken out and finally freed all the dragons, before returning to the Edge. But Hiccup hadn't gone home, instead flying to the furthest watchtower and remaining there as the sun set and moon rose. And quietly, he stared out to sea, trying to work out just what he could do. Worried, Toothless had warbled and then settled down as Hiccup paced back and forth, trying to sort out his thoughts.
The screech of a Nadder jolted him from his thoughts but he didn't look up or acknowledge Astrid as she jumped from Stormfly's back and greeted Toothless warmly. Cracking open a bleary eye, the Night Fury managed a worried croon before closing his eyelid again. Then she looked over at the shadowy shape of Hiccup, standing motionless in the shadows of the watchtower.
"Babe?" Are you okay?" she asked, walking towards him. "I was worried."
There was a long pause as he reran what he wanted to say-and altered it again.
"I'm fine," he said, his tone unexpectedly bitter. "I mean, I'm sure you knew I was okay so why did you bother to come up here?"
She gaped and stared at him, stung by his tone. Then she folded her arms and frowned.
"What do you mean?" she asked him, more sharply than she had intended as he shifted his weight onto his good leg, the gentle click of his prosthetic loud in the awkward silence.
"Well, you know better than me so what is the point of my even speaking?" he snarked, retreating a pace further back. She glared.
"So this is about the mission," she realised and rolled her eyes. "Come back to the Clubhouse and we can discuss it..."
"I'm happier out here," he told her tonelessly. "Here, no one is calling me useless or spineless or anything else. I mean, the moment the mission went south, it was all my fault for bringing Garff-and who was the only person who insisted he wasn't to come? Oh let me think..."
"Okay. So you were right about that," she conceded grudgingly, not coming any closer. "But you aren't always right. When I was blind, I was right to come with you to get Stormfly..."
"You may know your capabilities, Astrid, but grant me some respect that I may know a little more than you when it comes to bringing untrained dragons on missions!" he told her sharply, not pointing out that she had been forced to concede that she needed protecting when she was blind as well. "You disobeyed me in bringing him back to the Edge-despite the fact he's a danger to our own daughter..."
"Oh, come on..." she argued, feeling her temper rise at the reprimand.
"No! Do you want Val burnt or suffocated if something startles him-like someone unused to dragons seeing him?" he snapped.
"She's my daughter too!" she yelled at him.
"And I am the leader of the Riders!" he yelled back. "It's my responsibility to make sure you and she and everyone is safe! When I give an order to do with dragons or missions, it should obeyed. I thought-I thought I could rely on you, at least, to support me, Astrid. But instead, you totally undermined me..."
"No one else obeys your orders," she pointed out. "The twins and Snotlout usually mess things up..."
"And they obey me when we need to get out of said mess," he reminded her. "Look-we were all almost killed because you disobeyed my orders and did something stupid and reckless which I knew would mess everything up!"
"So I should just shut up and obey you-like a good little wife?" she snapped angrily, her fists bunching. "I never promised to obey you!"
"And in our marriage, I never asked it-but as my second-in-command, as one of my Riders, I need it sometimes..." he replied equally passionately. "Astrid-this isn't about us...it's about what we feared...our personal life interfering with the Riders, with missions."
"No, it's about Hiccup wanting to prove a point and prove he knows everything and..."
"ENOUGH!" he shouted angrily. "I am the leader of the Riders and I need to know you will obey orders! Or can't you even manage that any more? Has all that time alone meant that you no longer listen to anyone but yourself? What happened to 'a Chief listens to her counsellors'? Or has being a Chief gone to your head completely?" She glared at him in fury, eyes flashing and cheeks red with anger at the accusation.
"I'll obey orders if I agree with them!" she growled and he shook his head.
"And that won't do, Astrid," he said angrily. "What leader can have a team that will only obey the orders they decide to? It's Anarchy. I have enough problems with the twins and Snot but they, at least, acknowledge I am the leader. Or have you decided you want to take that, along with any respect I had left?"
"So it's about your feelings, is it?" she snapped. "Are you feeling hurt because I disobeyed an order, Hiccup? Are you hurt because Snot called you names?"
"I'm upset, Astrid, because you're my second-in-command and best friend and you completely undermined me and almost got everyone killed!" he pointed out. "I mean, if you want, you can take your daughter and go home to your family on Berk. You can see your friends and your Tribe and basically be a normal person. But this, here, is all I have. You heard Dagur and despite his very inventive exaggeration of my titles, all I am is the leader of the Dragon Riders on the Edge. Elsewhere, I am an Outcast. I have no home, no family, no place but here. And you've completely pulled that from under me today, Astrid."
She paused and forced her temper down, reminding herself that nothing he had said was untrue and she had done what she had done because she had felt a maternal surge towards the young Deathsong, irrespective of the dangers.
But Hiccup sounded upset and hurt. Hurt enough not to come back and have any dinner. Hurt enough not to come back and see his daughter. Hurt enough not to return at all.
"Hiccup..." she began in a softer tone. He walked to his dragon, who immediately rose to his feet, instantly alert.
"Go back to our daughter," he told her harshly. "I'll sleep in the stables with Toothless. He, at least, does what I ask."
And with that, he swung into the saddle and before she could say another word, they had shot up into the night and were gone.