A/N: Hello again.
Disclaimer: I still own nothing.
...
Freya looked up at her mother with wide eyes and asked, "Mommy, when are you going to be able to get up again?" Freya asked.
Astrid looked down at her daughter and smiled.
"Very soon." Astrid responded.
Stoick just looked at Astrid, not saying anything. Hiccup noticed this, and placed his hand on his son's shoulder to get his attention. Stoick looked up at his father.
"What?" he asked, sort of rudely.
Hiccup ignored his rude tone for the moment. "Aren't you going to say hello to your mother? She just woke up." Hiccup ushered Stoick closer to Astrid's bed. Stoick looked at Astrid and stared her straight in the eyes. He could see the blank look of unrecognizable nothing behind them. Stoick scowled.
"...you're not my mother." he said, then turned and walked out of the room and down the steps.
Hiccup's mouth dropped.
"Hey! You can't-"
"Hiccup. It's fine." Astrid said.
"But he can't talk to you like that." Hiccup complained.
Valka stood up and placed her hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "Did you tell the kids about the amnesia?" Valka asked.
"Yeah. But I didn't think that he'd react like this." Hiccup ran his hand through his hair.
Astrid sighed and shrugged. "There's nothing for it. Maybe I'll regain my memories and then it won't be a problem anymore." Astrid said.
Hiccup sighed. "Maybe."
Valka smiled and looked at Hiccup. "Do you want me to go talk to him?" she asked.
Hiccup looked almost grateful. "Would you?" he asked.
"Of course. He's my grandson. I can't stand to see him hurting." Valka said, turning and opening the door to go downstairs. "I'll try to calm him down a bit." she said as she left.
Hiccup walked over to Astrid and Freya and sat on the bed.
"Well, what now?" Astrid asked.
"Now, it's time for this little goddess to go to bed." Hiccup tickled her tummy. Freya giggled, but looked up at Astrid.
"Can mommy tell me a story before bed?" she asked.
Hiccup looked thoughtful. "I dunno. Mommy's been through a lot. She needs her sleep. What if I tell you the story?" he asked.
"But...I want mommy to tell it." Freya complained, pouting.
"Frey..." Hiccup used her nickname.
"It's okay, Hiccup. I'm not that tired. Why don't we both tell her a story?" Astrid suggested.
"Please, daddy?" Freya looked up at Hiccup with expectant eyes. He melted. "Okay."
"Yay!" Freya exclaimed.
Astrid sat up so she could adjust her position so Freya was comfortable.
"Alright." Astrid cleared her throat.
"The creation of the universe. In the beginning, was Ginnungagap. The great unending void. It was a region so vast, that it went on in all directions forever. With room for a billion universes. There was no up or down, no light or darkness. No directions of North, South, East or West. There was no sound in Ginnungagap, yet no silence." Astrid began.
Hiccup recognized this story. It was the story of the creation. Every viking child was told this story as a child. Hiccup remembers his own father telling him this story when he was a child only a year younger than Freya. Hiccup decided that it was his turn.
"There was only endless space. No one knows the secret of creation. But a long long time before we were created by the gods, there were two worlds. The lands of fire and ice. The land of fire was called Muspellheim. It means the home of the destroyers of the world. It was a truly horrible place." Hiccup told her. Freya looked on in earnest fixation.
"That doesn't sound like a very good world." she muttered, rubbing her eyes.
"No, it's not. There was nothing in Muspellheim except black, burning rocks, continually erupting volcanoes, molten lava, and a sky filled with black, choking smoke. Howling winds blew clouds of flame and showers of sparks through the smokey sky. Volcanic dust covered everything. Great sheets of flame burst sporadically from the burning ground which was continually cracking and splitting." Hiccup said.
Astrid decided that it was her turn to take over.
"Nothing lived in Muspellheim at first, except for one being. The dreaded Surt, the fire demon, who's dwelling place was in it's very center. Surt was the first being, and would spend eons forging his doomsday weapon, the great fire sword, which was his destiny to wield come Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods, when he would burst out of Muspellheim to lay waste to the universe. The other region, Niflheim, was a very different place to Muspellheim. While equally vast and desolate, it was cold and frozen. A land of ice and snow. The winds of Niflheim never ceased. The rivers and seas of the universe had their origin here, flowing out of Hvergelmir, the roaring cauldron. Or they came from Elivagar. The waters here were incredibally dangerous. Mountainous icebergs whirlpools. The waters here weren't beautiful, though. Because the waters of Elivagar were polluted by poison, which formed black ice. This would spread through the north of Ginnungagap, which..."
"Astrid." Hiccup said.
She looked up at him. He pointed down at Freya. She had fallen fast asleep. Astrid looked at her daughter, who had fallen asleep right on her lap. Hiccup pressed his finger to his lips.
"Shhh..." Hiccup leaned down and carefully picked up his daughter.
"I'm going to put her to bed." Hiccup whispered. Astrid nodded and waved goodbye. Hiccup returned, not five minutes later.
"She's asleep in her bed. I think that Mom's still talking to Stoick." he responded.
Astrid nodded. "So...what do you think of the kids?" Hiccup asked.
Astrid sighed. "They're great, Hiccup. We have wonderful kids...I just wish I could remember them."
Hiccup sighed and rubbed her head. "Trust me, I wish you remembered too. They can be such a handful sometimes...but I have you, and you have me. I love you. Don't ever forget that." Hiccup looked at Astrid straight in the eye.
Astrid smiled and leaned up to kiss Hiccup.
"Trust me, that's the one thing that I could NEVER forget." Astrid said.
...
A/N: Okay guys. There's chapter 4. What did you guys think of story time? I'm thinking about putting story time in when Freya goes to bed. Have a little viking history lesson. What do you think?
Hugs and Bugs,
Smileyface.
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