So, apparently it's World Dancing Day today, and someone posted an older picture of Hiccstird, Stalka, and... Gobret(?) dancing. (It's called For the Dancing and the Dreaming and was made by SheepSkeleton, in case anyone want's to look it up) That picture tickled me, and this is what came out. I hope you enjoy :)
. o O o .
Astrid was tired.
It had been a long day, and the days – no weeks before hadn't been any better. Bringing in the last harvest, and stocking up the food stores before the first winter storm hit Berk had been hard work. Just like every year. And just like every year, there was a great feast on the day they were finally done.
Her gaze wandered through the festively decorated Hall and over the long tables laden with plates of food. The people of Berk really had outdone themselves this year. But then, they also deserved this night of celebration. It had been a few long months with not only restocking food for the next winter, but also with repairing the village after Drago's attack and reorganising the space on the island to accommodate the hundreds of new dragons that had settled here. It had been hard work, and this feast was just what they all needed now. A day to celebrate and to relax.
After taking a deep breath and letting it out again, Astrid leaned her head against the stone column behind her. Slowly, her eyelids closed and the music, the chatting, and laughing faded out into the background. Yes, this was a day to relax, and now she would do just that.
"Hey, Astrid," sounded Valka's deep voice to her ears, and she blinked a few times to fully wake up again. She was met by brightly gleaming green eyes and a weirdly familiar face that still unsettled her occasionally. "I wanted to thank you again for your help earlier. I'm not sure I could have recaptured those young Thunderdrums that quickly without your help," Valka said cheerfully. From the rosy tint on her cheeks, Astrid guessed that the older woman already had a mug of that heavy honeyed mead they only served on this special day. She would need to get herself a mug of that, too. Later.
"No problem, Valka," she answered with a tired smile. "Those were hardly the first baby dragons we had to recapture during the last years, and Dragon Racing is a surprisingly good training for that. And it's not your fault they escaped the stables and made a mess of everything. It was just... unfortunate today."
"Right. But I feel like I have a lot to make up to to the people of Berk, and taking care of the dragons in the stables shouldn't have been such a difficult task." She sighed, and seemed to want to say more, but got interrupted by a broad pair of arms that wound its way around her waist.
"There you are," the late Chief hummed against his wife's neck, making her giggle and Astrid look away as to not intrude on their moment. "I was looking for you. It's a little early in the night, but would you do me the honour and dance with me? It's been too long since we danced."
From the corner of her eye, Astrid saw how Valka turned in her husband's arms. "I'd love to," she replied happily, and they both walked away, leaving a smiling Astrid behind.
It was strange to see Stoick so happy. For nearly all her life, Astrid had only known him as a warrior, hard and unyielding. That had changed after they'd made peace with the dragons, but he'd still always been practical. But now that his long-lost wife had unexpectedly returned? Now, he seemed to be an entirely new man. Astrid's smile widened as she watched how Stoick whirled a laughing Valka around in time with the music, both lost in each other's eyes and not really noticing much of their surroundings anymore.
For a while, she watched the happy couple, how they danced amidst the crowd and how other couples started dancing as well, until her eyelids became heavier again. But before she could drift off again, someone placed a full mug of that honeyed mead in front of her. "Here, chuck. I figured you might want one of these before it's all gone," Eret said with a grin, and sat down beside her.
"Thanks," she replied wholeheartedly. "I wanted to get one myself, but I'm just so tired."
"Yeah, I figured as much. Did you get any rest at all today? I think I saw you flying around from one end of the village to the other all day."
"Yeah, it's been a crazy day," Astrid agreed and took a big gulp of the heavy mead. Almost immediately, she felt how the alcohol affected her fairly unaccustomed body and made her a little lightheaded. "First that emergency on dragon island, then those baby dragons, and don't even get me started on the twins getting ideas from them and continuing with the chaos. As if we didn't have enough on our table with the last harvest and the preparations for the feast." She sighed and took another gulp, enjoying how the strong brew made her body tingly and soft.
Eret leaned back and took a swallow from his own mug. "Right… I guess the Chief isn't back yet?"
"No, he's not," she said with yet another sigh. "I choose just the right day to chase him away to have a day off, didn't I? Well, at least he listened to me for once. I just hope he and Toothless had a good day that was worth all this trouble." She placed her empty mug back onto the table, and rubbed her face in an attempt to wipe away the fatigue.
"I'm sure he appreciates it. And I don't know if this is of any help, but I think you did a good job as his second in command."
Astrid lifted her head to give Eret a small smile, when yet another voice sounded over the room's noise.
"Indeed you did, lass," Gobber roared, slamming his nearly empty tankard of ale onto the table in front of her. "You did great, and now you've got to celebrate. May I ask for this dance, milady?"
Chuckling to herself, Astrid shook her head at her old mentor. He was swaying heavily, had to have drunk a lot already, and she didn't fancy getting buried beneath the broad blacksmith when he toppled over. "Maybe another time, Gobber. I'm too tired today."
"Too bad… Ah, well. I'll just have to be content with the second best choice then." Gobber winked at her – and then turned toward Eret instead. Before the tattooed man could react, he was getting pulled off the bench and toward the dozen-or-so dancing couples by a heavily drunk blacksmith. He didn't look exactly happy, but there was only so much he could do against being whirled around in time with the music, and soon accepted it as the funny joke it was meant to be – probably.
Astrid watched them with a grin, her head propped up on her arms atop the table. A part of her did want to go and dance, too, to simply let go for once after this strenuous day. But mead and fatigue made her body to heavy to move, so stayed where she was, bobbing her head with the music, and watched as more couples entered the makeshift dance floor. There was Ruffnut, shifting between dancing with Fishlegs and Snotlout, and Tuffnut gave an odd picture as usual as he whirled around with Chicken in his arms. It seemed so light and peaceful, and reminded Astrid of how all the hard work of the past months had been worth it.
Once again she was about to drift off into slumber, when two wiry arms wrapped themselves around her waist and an all-too-familiar stubbly chin brushed against her neck.
"Hey, you," she mumbled sleepily, and hummed as Hiccup placed a soft kiss on her jaw. "How was your day?"
"It was... fantastic," he murmured against her cheek. "I didn't know how much I needed that. Thank you!"
"Well, I know you better than anyone else, I guess," she replied, chuckling and cuddling into his embrace. "And that includes your as well."
"Yes, I guess you do." His arms around her tightened slightly as he pulled her closer to his chest. "And I love you for that."
Instead of an answer, Astrid turned to kiss him. It was just a calm brushing of lips against lips, but it was enough, said everything there needed to be said.
"So, do you want to dance?" Hiccup asked in a light voice once they parted. He nodded toward their friends and family, who all seemed to be enjoying themselves greatly – even Eret.
Astrid hesitated for a moment, still so tired that she could barely feel her legs anymore. But Hiccup's radiant smile and his enthusiasm served to give her a second wind, so she nodded and let him lead her toward the dance floor.
"So, how was your day?" Hiccup asked as he twirled them around in time with the music, his arms around her supporting her tired legs effortlessly. He held her tight and safe, and Astrid couldn't help but feel completely at ease. Just like every time she found herself in his arms.
"Oh, the usual," she replied, smiling, and leaned her head against this shoulder as the music slowed down. "Chaos and dragons and never a minute's rest. But I wouldn't want it any other way."