That Was Easy
The day was perfect for dragon racing. Only a few wispy clouds floated through crystal clear, early autumn skies. The heat of the summer was coming to an end and a slight easterly breeze kept the spectators from becoming too hot while they rooted for their favorites.
All in all Astrid would normally be enjoying herself even if she wasn't competing anymore. After all, as the wife of the Chief of Berk she had the best view of the race. Not to mention that her protégé was in line to win the title of Dragon Racing Champion this year and throwing it in Hiccup's face would be sweet reward.
But all of that falls to the wayside when you're eight and a half months pregnant with swollen ankles, hot flashes, a baby that insisted on acrobatics while she was trying to sleep, and an aching back that wouldn't go away no matter how many pillows she had or massages she got. Astrid had assumed pregnancy would be easier the second time around but she quickly found out this one was completely different from her first.
She looked over at her husband and three year old daughter. They were both completely engrossed in the race. Solvi's face was that of pure delight as the dragons flew overhead. As Astrid tried to shift to a more comfortable position for the thousandth time, she couldn't help but smile as Solvi reached up to try and touch Helka's Hacktoo as they flew low over the Chief's platform. As the girl was sitting on her father's shoulders, she almost managed it.
Her amusement was short loved as the ache in her lower back refused to abate and Astrid shifted for the thousandth and one time. Finding no relief she gave up. Unfortunately she needed help getting gout of the chair and called out to the man who was responsible for her suffering. "Babe!" she yelled only to be drowned out by the crowd. She paid no attention to what had elucidated their excitement and called again, "HICCUP!"
He still didn't hear her but she couldn't really be mad. She wouldn't be able to hear anything either with a yelling, giggling toddler next to her ear. Luckily Valka noticed her before she could fill her limited lung capacity and yell for a third time.
Astrid's Mother-In-Law moved to her son's side and yelled in his ear as another roar of the crowed erupted. He glanced over at his wife and nodded at his mother while Valka reached up to remove Solvi from his shoulders. Vi started to protest until her Amma boosted her up to her own shoulder and they went back to the watching the race.
Hiccup quickly moved to her side and asked, bending down close to her ear, "What can I do for you Milady?"
"You can get me out of this Loki cursed chair," she growled. "I just want to lie down."
Thankfully he had enough tack not to mention that he AND Valka had both suggested she stay home and relax. Instead he simply helped her to her feet and said playfully, "As Milady commands."
Standing was almost as bad as sitting when the pulled muscle in her groin made itself known and she have hobbled, half waddled over to Toothless. Even though there was an unwritten rule that pregnant women shouldn't fly; there was no way in the Nine Realms that she was going to walk all the way from the stadium to their house. On the opposite side of the village. And woe to anyone to tell her different.
Hiccup told his mother they were leaving and Astrid kissed her daughter. "I'll see you after the races baby, okay?"
"Okay, Mama," Solvi simply said and went back to the race.
Valka laughed," Don't you worry; I've got her and will take her over to Fishlegs and Dagny's so she can play with Dustin and you can get some sleep."
"Or just lay on the bed uncomfortably with my eyes closed," Astrid countered.
"Oh aye, but at least it will be quiet dear."
"Trust me, I'll take it," she assured the other woman.
Valka smiled and patted her cheek while Hiccup had Toothless crouch down as far as he could go. Then he carefully lifted her onto the saddle.
At any other time Astrid might have enjoyed Hiccup gallantry since he knew she could take care of herself. But the one thing she hated most about being pregnant having to rely on others for help with even mundane things. Like mounting a dragon.
By this time if all the eyes of the village weren't on the Chief's platform they soon would be. For both Astrid and Hiccup to leave a race was unheard of.
She tried to get as comfortable as possible on Toothless' back as her husband got behind her. He gently yet firmly secured her to himself with an arm around her just below her breasts and above her very large stomach. "Ready?" he said.
"Just get this over with," she snapped.
After two pregnancies he had learned to take her snappy attitude in stride and not take them personally. "Ok Bud, let's take Astrid home as gently as possible."
Solvi's self-appointed protector cooed in reply and made for the back of the platform. He spread his wings wide and stepped off the platform before beating his wings to gain altitude. Whether it was from the brief moment of free fall or just the very act of flying itself, but Astrid's stomach muscles suddenly constricted and she gasped.
"Astrid? Are you ok? The baby?" Hiccup said, concerned.
The moment passed and she reassured him, "We're fine. I just don't think the baby likes flying very much."
"Don't worry little one," he said over her shoulder as his hand moved to caress their child. "We'll turn you into a dragon rider yet."
Astrid tried to smile and relax against him. Tried to anticipate putting her feet up and catching a nap, but through the whole flight back to their home her muscles were clenching and unclenching, making her bite her cheek.
Just as they landed did she finally realized she was in labor. That she'd been having small contractions all day. With Solvi her water had broken early and the contractions had been further apart and much harder. There had been no doubt that she'd gone into labor then.
Hiccup had already dismounted and was reaching for her when the first truly painful contraction hit. "AAAHHH!" she called out. "Hiccup," she said through gritted teeth. "The baby's coming."
"What?!" he said dumbly. "Not now."
"Of course now!" she bit out when the pain ended.
"But everyone is at the race, even Gothi." He just didn't seem to get that the baby was coming whether anyone was here or not.
"I know that! So go… Aaah," and she was cut off as another contraction stole her voice. She grabbed his shoulders to steady herself as her hips started to sway, looking for relief. As the pain faded again she realized Hiccup was speaking to her.
"What," she gasped. "What did you say?"
"Ah, love, I think…, I think your water just broke." Now he truly sounded nervous.
She looked down and sure enough a wet patch was forming on her dress and now that she was paying attention she could feel the warm liquid trickling down her legs.
But she couldn't spare any thought for it as a new contraction, harder than any of the previous ones, once again had her gripping her husband and her hips swaying to relieve the pain.
"Come on, quick. Let's get you inside before another one hits," Hiccup said and took her hands to lead her inside. She could only follow, having to stop every fifth step to wait out the pain. By the time they made it halfway across the main living area another contraction hit. But this one was different.
"Oh Gods! Hiccup! I need to push!" she said to his alarmed face.
"But, but, you can't. Not now. I need to go get…,"
"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock! You are not leaving me here!" she yelled and gripped his arm nearly yanking him off his feet. "I need you here!"
"But I don't know how to deliver a baby," he stammered.
"Oh for the love of…," she cursed under her breath. "You were there the last time," she growled as she held off the urge to push as another contraction crashed through her.
"I stood at the back of the room while five women, FIVE Astrid, attended to you. Then suddenly Solvi is in my arms and it was done."
It was getting harder to talk coherently as all her concentration was on breathing and resisting the overwhelming urge to push. When she looked back at his face she could see the conflicting emotions run across it and she could easily read what he was thinking.
On the one had he didn't want to leave her alone and wanted to help her deliver their child. But on the other hand he was terrified that something would go wrong and wanted to get help from his mother and the other experienced women. She also saw when his face set into a determined expresstion as he came to a decision.
"Toothless," he called and the dragon went cautiously around her to his side. "I need your help Bud. I need to stay with Astrid," he told his friend as he fiddled with the tail gear controls. "So I need you to go get Mom and bring her back here. Can you do that for me?"
She stopped paying attention as the pain crested again. "Hiccup," she gasped. "I need to push!" And suddenly she was in his arms as he carried her to their room.
Once there he gently sat her on the edge of the bed then swept as many of the furs and blankets off as he could. He helped her lie back. "Okay," he said standing beside her. "What do I do?"
Panting hard as a contraction ended she growled with eyes closed, "Just catch the baby." There was no time to say anything else as the next contraction was building. She was reached for her legs and PUSHED with all her might.
When she caught her breath again, Hiccup was kneeling between her legs and had lifted her skirts out of the way. The look of intense concentration would have been funny in any other circumstance, but she didn't laugh as another contraction built deep within her and she got ready to push.
As she grabbed the back of her thighs she felt her husband's hands on hers helping her as she yelled a laboring women's battle cry as she pushed.
"Alright Milady, you're doing great. Okay take a breath. Do another push just like that," Hiccup kept up a litany of encouragement as she yelled her way through each push.
After what felt like a thousand pushes he said as she panted during a pause, "Ah Astrid, I think…, I think I see the head!"
"Thank Freyja," she breathed before pushing through another contraction.
"Come on Love, another push just like that one and the head will be out. "Ready? PUSH!"
And she did, yelling with every last breath in her body and pushing with all of her energy. Vaguely she felt a cool cloth on her brow and a distant part of her mind wondered how Hiccup had found the time to get one and come back without her notice.
When the pain paused she could here Hiccup's excitement as he exclaimed, "The head's out. Just one more push Astrid and you're done."
That was all the incentive she needed and after the next contraction ended so did all the pain, pressure, and stretching. The cool cloth on her forehead had vanished and suddenly she heard over the sounds of her labored breathing, a baby cry.
A slight weight was laid on her chest and looked down just in time to see Hiccup cut the tied off cord. "It's a boy," he laughed in wonder and love and thanks as she laid her hands on their son. "It's a boy."
She looked up from the red faced bundle on her chest to his father's. She smiled in relief that Hiccup and been there, that it was over, that they had a son, an heir, and most importantly that they could welcome the newest member of their family. Astrid reached her free and to his and her love grasped it tight, bringing it to his lips.
"Aye, and he certainly made an entrance," Valka said as she dealt with the afterbirth.
Astrid looked over at her Mother-In-Law in surprise until she realized it had been Valka who had been wiping her face and even helping to bend her in half to help her push.
She grinned at the older woman as Valka brought over a bowl of warm water and a clean cloth. She gave the cloth to her son to clean off his son.
"Well," Astrid sighed, content, as her family tended to her and her child. "At least we know where he gets his dramatic flair."