"Daddy, tell me about Mama."
Hiccup's heart drops. He's heard this request many times. He is thankful his daughter wishes to know about her mother, but the pain is still raw even after so many years. He can't help the tears that gather on the rims of his eyes every time. He casually wipes them away with his fingers.
He wishes his daughter looked more like her mother. With her light auburn hair and freckle-peppered cheeks, she very much resembles Hiccup. But the blue eyes that gazed up at him are Astrid's. He could stare into the depth of those eyes, knowing that a part of his beloved wife is there.
Airica climbs onto her father's lap, bouncing on his legs with anticipation. She wraps her arms around his neck, leaning in close. "C'mon, daddy! Tell me another story about Mama being brave!"
He's told her many stories. Her mother was one of the bravest people that graced his life. Astrid never backdown in the face of danger. She stood with him, unmoving, ready to cut down the wrongs of the world. How could you possibly fit that kind of courage and bravery into a mere story? Hiccup tried his best.
Airica keeps bouncing in excitement on his lap. "Tell me about the time Mama and Uncle Tuff beat those bad guys together on the Edge!"
"Ow!" Hiccup lays hands on her waist to stop the bouncing. "Okay, okay, settle down. One time back on Dragon's Edge…" He launches into the tale. He doesn't know every detail but recalls all that Astrid and Tuffnut filled him in on. What a tale it is of bravery in the face of impossible odds and learning the value of teamwork.
As he tells the story, Airica takes his hand, tracing the lines on his palm and fiddling with his fingers. Hiccup hopes these stories will keep Astrid's memory alive. He hopes that these stories will help his daughter feel close to the mother she never got to know.
"Daddy," Airica interrupts, and those blue eyes that so much reflect Astrid's gaze into his, "I miss Mama."
He tenderly touches her head. "I do too, dearest."
Airica wraps her arms around his neck again, pressing her head to his chest. Hiccup rests his face in her hair, thankful for the precious gift that Astrid left behind.
He looks forward to the day when Airica is old enough to learn how to ride a dragon. Her and Stormfly share a close bond, the Nadder taking to Airica instantly. Maybe one day she will have her own stories of bravery and courage just like Astrid.
But for now, he will tell his stories of her mother anytime she wishes to hear.
