Astrid watched him as he strode down the hill from his house. The sunlight cast a bright, clear light over everything, and the wind swirled and swept the grass in its wake.
The sun threw Hiccup's face into sharp contrast, and the wind whipped his hair in a little flurry on his head. His jaw was set and his eyes sharp as he strode down the hill, looking every bit the chief that his father used to be; and Toothless prowled next to him, as graceful and dignified as his own position demanded.
And for all that he was still just as stubborn as a mule, Astrid thought. He needed to listen to what she had to say. Despite how close they were, she didn't share many details about her home life. He knew that she and her parents had a close and pleasant relationship.
What he didn't realise, however, was that both he and her were in their early twenties now. Her parents were beginning to put the pressure on her to be a mother, and she did not feel even close to ready.
It started as a just a few little questions here and there. Then the questions grew more insistent. Then her parents grew perplexed and confused, and wondered if there was a problem between them. There was not. And then they began to lose their patience.
They couldn't negotiate a marriage through Hiccup's parents; one was dead and the other was so intent on making it up to her son that she wouldn't do anything until he gave the say-so. They would have had to confront Hiccup himself, and they all knew his tendency to chase the wind in the face of personal strife. True, he always came back, but he would never do anything unless he chose it for himself.
That couple was too caught up in their romance in Astrid's parents' opinion. They were still Vikings; there were occupational hazards, and they had to ensure their bloodline continued. And so, in the face of her trepidation, the only bargaining chip Astrid had was Hiccup's lack of proposal. Now that she had a shiny, glowing axe to show for it, she had no excuses left.
She still didn't feel ready for it, but she didn't want to upset her parents either, and since Hiccup had inadvertently forced the issue by proposing, she had to talk through everything. With everyone. No more putting it off.
She squared her shoulders and strode towards him. "Hiccup, we need to talk."
He stopped when she blocked his path. "I'm sorry, Astrid, but I've got a land dispute to settle in the Great Hall." He stepped around her and walked on.
"Why, what's the land fighting about now?" Astrid called to his back.
Both man and dragon stopped to look at her, exasperation clear on their faces. But when Hiccup turned to go, Astrid glimpsed the beginnings of a wry smile on his face.
A/N: Thanks for reading and (if you're following) keeping up with the story! If you liked it (or didn't) please leave a review! It's always very motivating to see what people think, which will make the next update will come faster. *wink* *nudge* Anyway, till next time!