It's hard; being a parent.
It didn't seem like it would be difficult. We had it planned, we were going to be happy. But things don't always go the way you plan them to; and because of that I was thrown into a whole new way of life. But you know what? I wouldn't have changed it for the world.
So here I am, telling you the story of my baby girl and how she changed my life forever.
"Hicuuuup!"
There was a lively commotion taking place in the Haddock household, deep into the hours of night. The sound of objects crashing to the ground was heard, mingled with the pained screams and cries of a woman that woke almost the entire village up; save for the few Vikings that was so deep in comatose that they could even sleep through a Dragon Raid back in the day.
"Calm down Astrid! Please" a young man with wild auburn hair stamped out the flames of a small fire that was licking hungrily at the wooden table leg behind him, caused from his clumsiness by knocking a candle from the table as he rushed to get to his wife's side.
"What is it? What's happening?!" He tenderly brushed sweat-drenched locks from his love's face, whispering to her softly.
"It's the baby! Hiccuuup!" Another scream sounded as she spasmed under the strain.
"It's okay honey, just relax and-"
"Relax! You tell me to relax?! I can't believe you!" Astrid swiped the side of Hiccup's head aggressively, she was not coping well with childbirth.
"Well what in Thor's name am I supposed to do?! I don't know what it's like to have a baby!" Hiccup rubbed at the tender spot, not sure where he should put his hands or what to say.
"Just get the damn thing out of me!" She screamed, her crying and wailing a continuous noise by this point.
"Pllleeeeasseeee!" Another shudder wracked her body.
"Somebody, anybody! Help! Please!" Hiccup threw open the shutters of the window by Astrid's bed, and called out for help, praying to Thor that someone would hear him.
A hurried knocking sounded on the heavy wooden door of the hut not moments later.
"Please let me in! I can help!" A woman's voice called through.
Hiccup threw the door open wide, allowing the Viking to enter his home,
"She's having a baby-" Hiccup explained, but was busied out of the way by the large woman.
"It's alright my dear, just breathe deeply," she instructed the wide-eyed blonde, holding her hand and stroking it slowly.
"It hurts!" Astrid choked back a sob and clutched at her swollen stomach,
"What do I do?!" Hiccup stroked his wife's face lovingly,
"Just hold her hand and I'll do the rest" the woman instructed.
Hiccup didn't really process everything that happened in the next few moments; it all went by in a blur. Astrid screamed louder then ever before, and suddenly a high-pitched crying that wasn't hers sounded out into the eerily still room.
"Oh! A baby girl, oh precious child" the Viking lady wrapped the child up in a fur blanket that was draped over the end of the bed, and offered the child out to her mother,
"Astrid?" Hiccup squeezed his wife's hand, she didn't move under his touch.
"Baby?" Hiccup started panicking, "what's wrong with her?! What's happening?!" He turned to the woman, "why won't she wake up?!"
"Oh Gods Hiccup, I'm so sorry" the Viking looked stricken as she lifted her fingers to the neck of the still blonde, "she's... Gone..."
That was when Hiccup felt his whole world shatter into pieces.
He couldn't process it, he didn't understand.
"She's... Dead?" He felt tears well in his eyes.
Toothless had found his way inside his Viking master's home and was nuzzling gently at his rider's hand.
"I'll leave you, take her" the woman passed the baby into her father's arms, bowed her head in respect, and then quietly left the hut.
"Astrid!" Hiccup couldn't hold the tears back anymore, it couldn't be happening, not to him; not after everything else.
"What more do you want from me?!" He yelled at the roof, "you took my father! You took my mother! And now you've taken my wife?! What have I done to make you punish me so much?!" He stopped shouting when he heard the babies' cries ring out, bringing him down from his rage. Immense sadness suddenly welled over the young chief, replacing the anger. He looked down at little fleshy bundle in his arms, she was so small.
"I'm so sorry" he kissed her forehead gently, "I'm so so sorry... Valka"
He thought it was a fitting name; after his mother, after a strong and beautiful lady. He had lost his mother to sickness only months after returning to Berk from defeating Drago and his army, only months after losing his father.
"You'll be safe, I'll look after you, sweet baby girl" her tiny fist clenched around her father's finger, and she opened her beautiful green eyes to the world.
I'm so sorry... I just... I had this headcannon and I couldn't shift it. This is gonna be SAD, it's already got death but there will be more death. But I hope this story will help you see into the life of being a single father whilst being the chief of a village and taking care of the dragons in his charge.
Next chapter will be longer!
If anything sounds in-accurate then please tell me! I am a teenage girl, I know nothing about pregnancy or parenthood, but I just wanted to explore this idea! Please tell me what you think ~ Watermelon-Dragon-Chibi
