Alright guys, I'm going to be honest with you. I feel I owe you at least a little explanation as to why I missed two days.
I'm typically a student but this summer I have a job that has me working 8 to 5 everyday- pretty normal stuff. When I get home, I usually write out the chapter for you guys, so that I can consistently post them in the mornings when I wake up- that way, if the chapter takes 1 hour to write or 6 hours to write, it doesn't matter- you'll get your update consistently, at the same, everyday.
Tuesday night I started feeling sick. Like absolute garbage. I thought I was going to be sick myself, but instead I ended up falling asleep at 8 that night before managing to write anything. So that's why there was no Wednesday update. Then Wednesday night, I was still sick but managed to write half a chapter for you before I fell asleep writing. So that's why there was no Thursday update. I managed to finish the chapter last night, so I'm posting it now. I'm sorry this took so long, and honestly it's not my finest work. But with the weekend approaching, I'll be able to sleep as much as I like, so the chapters should become consistent again and the quality for the next ones will improve.
So again, sorry for the wait. I'm almost better now so there shouldn't be anymore delays. I hope you enjoy this. :). Let me know what you think will happen next ;)
The front door slammed open, and the clattering bang was followed by an accusatory cry of, "What do you think you're doing here?"
Her fork was half way to her mouth, but Astrid froze before she could finish the bite. Slowly, her eyebrows crept upwards. "What?"
Ruffnut paced into the Haddock's home, her fists clenched angrily at her side. "You're not supposed to see the groom before the wedding! It's bad luck! And unfavorable to the Gods! You can only see him after the procession."
"Uh huh." Astrid turned away, going back to eating the breakfast that her and Valka had prepared.
Judging by the expression on the twin's face, there were two possible options for Ruff's next plan of action. Either her head was going to explode, or she was going to slug Astrid across the face. With a fiercely protective Nadder sleeping mere steps away, Valka knew both options resulted with a dead girl in her kitchen.
So she decided to intervene. "Astrid and I have spent all mornin' makin' preparations fer tha weddin', dear. I haven't even seen a hair from Hiccup since yesterday." All of these things were true. Valka had simply decided to claim that SHE had not seen her son. She'd never said Astrid hadn't.
This omission of fact was convincing enough to placate the maid of honor, because Ruffnut gave a huff, grabbed a biscuit from the counter, and plopped herself down at the table beside them. She leaned back into the chair, shoved a chunk of bread into her mouth, and droned out, "Fine. Whatever." Crumbs fell to her chin as she continued. "Just so long as you're both ready to go when the sun's above the horizon. I don't care."
Astrid shoveled another scoop of eggs into her mouth. "How much time do we have left anyways?"
"Eh. Probably about an hour." Ruffnut shoved the last bite if her biscuit into her mouth.
A weariness washed over Astrid. She'd barely gotten a wink if sleep. Too bad. "Alright, we should probably hop to it, then," she said before plopping the remains of her breakfast into her mouth. Ruff nodded, and the two girls said their farewells to Valka as they headed back to Astrid's home, where her procession would begin.
It was ceremony to have the bride begin the journey from her ancestral home, and then eventually be walked down the aisle by her dad to the alter where the exchange of hands (and therefore protective duty) would be exchanged, from father to husband. Astrid wasn't sure what the symbolic significance would be if she accidentally started from Hiccup's home instead of her father's, but she did know one thing for sure- the village would not be pleased.
No, it was better to be on time for her own procession.
When the girls had left, Valka had cleared the dishes away before heading off to her next task- waking her son.
That boy could sleep through anything.
Which was why she was surprised that, when she knocked on the door, he was already up and out of bed.
"Yer up?" She said as she pushed into her son's room. "What a shock!"
The boy rolled his eyes but there was a smile on his face. "Mom, it's my wedding day. Of course I'm up." A far away look crossed onto his face. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."
Oh, the stupid boy- didn't he know he wasn't allowed to make her cry until the wedding had already begun? But saying something that sweet was bringing faint tears to Valka's eyes.
Her son was getting married.
And she'd only just met him.
She shook the thought away. It didn't matter. Of all the humans she had interacted with, Hiccup had been the easiest. Maybe it was because he was her son, or maybe it was because he had the heart and soul of a dragon, but Hiccup was one of the few that made sense to her.
"Come on, then," she said, pulling the boy from bed. "Let's get you ready."
She took the boy downstairs and proceeded to her workshop. Just as she had done with Astrid, she had to prepare her son.
Glancing around, Valka brushed aside the clutter and grabbed a pile of clothe that was laying on the side. "Here," she said, handing him the clothing.
They were mostly white with red and gold detailing- Hiccup knew that this was to match Astrid's dress, even though Ruff wouldn't let him see it. There was a fur cape included, and his little skull insignia was stitched into each of the sleeve. The cape was attached to the outfit with a brooch made of dragon scales, and when he examined them closely, he saw that they were Toothless's.
He barely had time to look it over before his mother pushed his father's sword into his hands.
"Ye understand why this is important, don't ye?" Hiccup nodded solemnly, but his mother explained anyways. "Yer father's soul is going to watch down on ye because ye carry that sword. And when ye hand it ta Astrid, yer not only entrusting her with the continuation of our bloodline, yer entrusting her to continue ta uphold the Haddock name and honor. Ye understand?"
The boy nodded again.
"An' look on her hilt. I've already placed the ring." And it was true- carved and twisted from the scale of a Nadder was an elegantly engraved ring. "That one's fer the girl, and she has yours. You know tha deal."
"Thank you," Hiccup said, a pleasant grin stretching across his face.
Valka smiled herself. "Yer father'd be proud a ya."
And with that, the boy slipped into his garments and the two rushed to the great hall, where the wedding was to be held. Not technically in the hall, though, but just right outside of it. It was best to have a wedding outside, and it was certain that the God's must be smiling down on them that day, because for the first time since the creation of man, the weather on Berk was gorgeous.
The alter was set up and draped in while clothe and a bounty of red and yellow flowers. The elder was already waiting there for him, and she smiled to him kindly before motioning for him and Valka to move forward. They did as instructed and soon the ceremony began.
Astrid and Ruff appeared moments later, right on time, followed by a procession of her family. Though Astrid had no siblings or mother, her father presented her, followed by a gathering of her wed cousins and aunts. The only male in her process besides her father was a young relative (distantly related), who was placed in charge of presenting their family's ancestral sword. Though, seeing as how the young couple had already tossed tradition of the wind several times, the sword was replaced with Astrid's axe, which had been her mother's before her.
And there were tears in Hiccup's eyes as his bride took his hands and the ceremony began. But he wasn't the only one. There wasn't a tearless face in all of Berk that day.
The elder splashed the ritual water upon the couple, blessing them and calling upon the favor of Frigg and Freya. The two exchanged swords and then rings, and at the end of the ceremony, the wedding bell was struck and much rejoicing began.
When the ceremony ended and the cheers from the villagers began, Astrid heard a familiar cry go out.
Gobber's arms were in the air as he called out, "Alright ye fools! To tha drinkin' we go!"
And as the ceremony ended, the celebration began!
