Astrid counted the days on the calendar, the dread slowly seeping into her veins with every passing number. Her duties as the Chief's wife had busied her days and she'd completely forgotten one important detail she'd missed. She was late.
Not long before the wedding, her mother had instructed her of the signs of pregnancy. It will come eventually, she'd said, and in some cases, instantly. Thank Thor, it hadn't come that quickly. But eventually was still too close to when her and Hiccup had planned to bear a child.
On their wedding night, Hiccup had spoken of waiting to have a child. He'd barely had a year as Chief under his belt and it'd be easier for both of them if they waited to bring a baby into their hectic lives. Astrid knew a way of prevention – another important detail her mother had shared with her.
Her and Hiccup had followed the preventions, and it had worked for 7 months. Astrid scrubbed her face in worry. How could this happen? They were so careful. If she was with child, how would Hiccup take it? The plan to wait would be completely shattered and Astrid feared he'd be angry at the unexpected news.
But she wouldn't be sure if she was pregnant until other signs began to show. She had to wait, lock up this discovery until she knew for sure.
At first, she was on high alert for the few signs she had gathered from her mother and other women around Berk (because many were ready to give unsolicited advice on childbearing). The secret nagged at her and Astrid almost spilled one night to Hiccup while they laid in bed, his hand roaming across her belly asking if it was that time of the month. She wondered how long it would take him to piece it all together when he saw no evidence.
Two weeks passed, and Astrid became more relaxed with the secret, easily storing it away in the back of her mind. That was until one evening after dinner.
The roasted chicken, cabbage, and wild greens her and Valka cooked together was delicious for once, and Astrid had scarfed down every bit of food on her plate. She was feeling fine as she helped clean the kitchen, but as she walked outside to give Stormfly a chicken leg she'd set aside for her poultry-loving dragon, a curl of nausea crept up in Astrid's stomach. She tried to ignore it as she gave Stormfly a goodnight scratch, but it kept getting worse.
Astrid started back to the house when a horrible wave of nausea crashed upon her. She stopped dead in her tracks and began to take deep breaths to control it from getting worse. She hated throwing up. A dislocated shoulder was more welcoming than one's stomach convulsing involuntarily. After a good ten minutes of standing still, Astrid finally felt like she could move again without her stomach rebelling on her.
She made it into the house, wishing only to crawl under the furs of the bed and curl into a ball. Hiccup was talking with Valka at the kitchen table. Astrid quietly climbed the stairs leading to the bedroom. She discarded her shoulder armor, skirt, and boots before laying down.
Footfalls ascended the stairs a minute later. "Astrid?" A weight sat beside her on the bed and a hand touched her side. "Hey," the word was spoken in the most soothing way that only Hiccup could produce. "You okay?"
"No," Astrid groaned, turning her head to crack her eyes open.
Concern was etched on Hiccup's face. "What's wrong?"
"My stomach isn't feeling well." The reason for her nausea screamed in her head, but she wasn't ready to reveal it. She couldn't handle the disappointment that was to come if she told him, not in the condition she was in. "I guess dinner didn't agree with me."
Hiccup looked thoughtful. "Me and Mom haven't felt any affects."
"Maybe I'm coming down with something." She felt bad for lying, but it was a good excuse.
"Get some rest." Hiccup leaned over to press a kiss to her temple. "I'll be back soon."
The nausea became an almost daily occurrence, but it wasn't as bad as that first time. Astrid learned how to manage it. Eating seed wafers helped stem her stomach troubles and it became a habit carrying them wherever she went. Performing spins and barrel rolls was out of the question. Not only for her stomach's sake, but she had adapted to being more careful when flying.
Her second month of missing her cycle rolled around, and Astrid was now sure she was with child. Her breasts were tender, and her leggings were growing tighter. Her emotions were increasingly unhinging. The urge to cry over anything, usually ridiculous stuff like Stormfly squawking happily at her or hearing Gobber play a melancholy tune on his pipes, switched on the waterworks.
She knew it wouldn't be long before Hiccup started pieces things together. He was already suspicious at the changes she was displaying, but he never questioned her. In a way, Astrid wished he would ask questions, so she wouldn't have to bring it up. Moments were right for her to, but words eluded her and the apprehension of his reaction.
Astrid found herself in Stormfly's stable one evening after a grueling day of training at the academy. She was physically exhausted, her emotions spiraled in all different directions, and she craved roasted lambchop to the point of madness. With knees drawn to her chest, she hid her face in her arms, angry at the tears leaking onto her leggings.
Stormfly nudged her arms, squawking inquiringly at her rider's behavior. Astrid raised her head, rubbing the tears away. "I'm okay, girl. There's just something I need to do, and I don't know exactly how to do it."
"Maybe I can help," a voice came from beyond Stormfly.
Astrid's breath hitched. Hiccup dodged Stormfly's spiked tail, scooting passed the Deadly Nadder. Astrid signaled for Stormfly to go play with Toothless, and the dragon bounded out to greet her friend.
Hiccup knelt beside his wife. "Astrid, you've been acting strange the last few of weeks."
Astrid frowned. "You noticed?"
"I know you better than anyone else on this island. You're my wife, my partner in battle, and my friend. Of course, I noticed." Hiccup grasped her hand. "This isn't like you. Tell me what's wrong."
His gentle words clenched her throat and overwhelmed her heart. Astrid sniffled, feeling like the worst Viking in history for being such a blubbery mess. "I was afraid to tell you."
Hiccup cocked his head lower to meet her red-rimmed eyes. His eyebrows knitted. "Tell me what?"
The pit in Astrid's stomach was like an anchor dragging her down. No more secrets. "Remember when you said we should wait a while before having children?"
"Yeah." It suddenly hit Hiccup, his jaw slowly dropping in realization. "Are you-?"
"Pretty sure. I'm two months late and I feel like I've lost my mind."
Hiccup's face exploded into a huge smile. "We're having a baby!"
Astrid watched Hiccup's excited reaction in bewilderment. "You're not mad? Disappointed?"
Hiccup's smile drooped slightly. "Why would I be?"
"Because," Astrid gestured helplessly at the air, "you made it clear that we should wait to have children. We haven't been married a year yet. We were so careful to prevent it."
Hiccup's face soften as he grasped both her hands in his. "I'm not mad or disappointed. If this is what we're being given at this time in our lives then it was supposed to happen. A baby will change things a lot, but we'll figure it out. We always do." His expression switched to uncertainty. "How do you feel about this?"
Astrid laughed nervously. "I was so caught up in worrying about what you would think and how to tell you that I didn't process my own thoughts on it." A baby would change their lives considerably, but it'd change hers most of all. Many limitations, though most would be temporary, were to come. It'd take some adjusting, but she would survive. "I know I'll be okay if you're with me.''
Hiccup pulled her into a warm embrace. "I'm not going anywhere. There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid," he echoed the words spoken from what seemed like a lifetime ago.
She clung to him and buried her face into his neck. He'd always be her solid ground when all else would fail. For the first time since she realized she may be with child, the weight lifted, and Astrid felt like she could truly smile again. "We're having a baby."
"Do you know what this means?" Hiccup exclaimed as he helped her up. "Our baby will grow up with dragons. We'll teach them to train their very own dragon and learn to ride. I could even make them their own flight suit!"
Astrid laughed, laying a hand on his chest, her spirits high. "Slow down there, dragon boy. Let's get this baby born first."
This was going to be quite the adventure.