*sits in metal cage to protect from lynching*

I started writing this chapter immediately after uploading the last one so this authors note was written before any potentially angry reviews.

OechsnerC - it wasn't fun to write! Despite what this story puts across... I don't hate Astrid.

-HTTYD-

"What did she say to you?"

Someone asked Hiccup, but the words didn't really register. Dagur had killed Astrid... and not only Astrid but their second child too - the developing baby could not have survived that sword twisting inside her stomach anymore than Astrid could.

Dagur's terrified screams reached them, and Hiccup looked up with a huge amount of vindictive pleasure to see Toothless leave him at the mercy of the Brute dragons. The enormous Skrill, Thunder, took that one for their team - Dagur and his human skin were no match for the power of Thor commanded by the dragon, and his body became little more than charred ash floating from the point that lightning had impacted.

"The fights over. Any soldier seeing that will know their leader is gone."

His voice sounded hollow even to him, recognising her scent amongst many others he would rather not think about as his mother knelt next to him, and several Vikings parted to let Toothless and Stormfly through to the humans on the ground. He wanted to lift Astrid and take her somewhere private, but the sword was firmly anchored through her and the thought of what else it touched was threatening to make Hiccup sick.

"Come on son. Let the others get her."

He let himself be led, barely hearing his mother tell the others to show all due respect to Astrid's body - Odin, that was what she was now, a dead body - as she held his bloodied hand in her own, took them just out of sight before she cradled him against her body.

"How many more are going to die for me? First dad. Now Astrid and the... the baby."

He was sobbing now, clutching his mother close solely to seek a boys comfort for what may have been the first time in years. She was saying something...

"The baby is fine. She came a little early, but Finn was very happy to gain a baby sister."

Wiping his face on the dirty tunic he had on, Hiccup looked up at her in stunned surprise.

"Are you kidding? She already had the baby?"

Valka nodded, looking around them a few times but falling silent as someone came around the corner until she recognized Eret.

"Just the man. While everyone is... busy, would you go to the cove and find Wildr and the dragons?"

"You should go too mom, Midnight may not trust him and she's protecting Wildr. Go. Just tell me where I should go."

She hopped up on Toothless, then pointed out a fairly unassuming looking hut - minus the two Deadly Nadders guarding it. Hiccup had already removed his helmet, even though the sunlight hurt his eyes. The Nadders dropped their heads and moved aside to let him in, finding Fishlegs somehow taking care of Loki, a napping Finn and the newest Haddock baby.

"Hiccup!" his exclamation stirred a wail from Loki, and Fishlegs immediately quietened his voice "you're alive. Are you hurt? Did you hear about having a little girl? Where's Astrid?"

Hiccup covered his ears, trying to process all the sounds. He realised there was blood drying on his hands, looking for the wash bucket after casting a longing look at his children. He couldn't touch Finn with the boys mothers blood on his skin.

"I gotta clean up."

Fishlegs looked confused, but didn't try to slow him down as he doused his hands in lukewarm water, scrubbing mercilessly at the already raw skin still full of splintered wood and calloused from constantly rubbing dragon scales, whittling wood, pushing himself off stone floors and plain old burns cooking fish.

"Hiccup. Where's Astrid?"

Swallowing nausea, Hiccup dried his hands and stepped past Fishlegs. He stopped short of the baby and toddler, forcing out an answer.

"Somewhere being prepared for her journey to Valhalla."

The blond man gasped, watching on as Hiccup finally laid proper eyes on his tiny daughter. Nobody had mentioned her name yet - though Hiccup knew what Astrid would have called the girl - and he could see she was smaller, frail and fragile compared to how sturdy Finn had been as a baby. The dates told him she had arrived early, but Hiccup had done that too - he survived. This little girl would too.

"Dada!"

Finn woke a minute later, immediately recognising his father and shuffling over to reach for him. Despite the fact Hiccup probably looked near unrecognisable. He certainly didn't feel like himself.

"What... what happened?"

"Oh, so much. Can I borrow Meatlug? I want to take my kids home."

"Of course." He whistled quietly "here girl, be good for daddy and take Hiccup home nice and gentle?"

The Gronckle walked them through the village, Finn surprisingly quiet as he was seated in front of Hiccup on the hefty saddle until they got back to their hut. The baby girl was perfectly silent and sleeping as they went - Hiccup didn't even know what colour her eyes were yet. He slid off Meatlug, helped Finn down and clutched his daughter as best he could one handed.

"Thanks Meatlug. Get back to Fishlegs, he needs a friend."

The Gronckle bowed her head, then she headed back the way they came. Hiccup walked into his home, placing the girl down in the cradle he had already built in advance for her - was just waiting for her name to be added.

He felt mechanical, walked over to look out the window and saw that the Brute dragons had already left. Loud thumps from behind the hut unsettled his traumatic responses, but Finn reached up and took his hand, smiling toothily up at his father with no hint of fear.

"I know big guy, but we gotta hurry before the baby is seen."

Beast and Wildr came through the dragon door first, relaxing Hiccup somewhat - they were back from the cove. Midnight bowled through next, thankfully remembering Hiccup was still injured and not leaping upon them, sniffing out the home instead. Toothless and Skullcrusher were the last to come through, filling the hut almost to bursting as they pulled a sling in behind them, followed by Eret and Valka.

"What happened?"

His mother was trying to comfort her dragon, so Eret answered.

"Couple of soldiers checking for hiders. Cloudjumper got them, but not before one misfired a steel bola and sliced his wing up pretty bad. He can't fly."

Eret helped position Cloudjumper where he could lay recuperating without blocking the way out, turning to Hiccup.

"Anything I can do to help chief?"

"Go to the Great Hall, let everyone know I'm alive and everything but that I really, really need to be left with my family for a while so we can deal with-"

He choked on his words, not wanting that to be how Finn found out his mother was never coming home.

"And then help with the urgent repairs I guess. The backup rider team needs to get whoever was sent to hide in the caves. Assign the Berk Guard to sweep the island, then the docks. Some of those boats might come in handy if any are still salvageable."

"You got it chief. Come on Skullcrusher, we got work to do."

Energy almost completely sapped, Hiccup was blissfully thankful his mother noticed and caught him as his knees gave out under the weight of everything that had happened.

"You sit by the fire with the boys Hiccup, you're freezing."

"In a minute. How's Cloudjumper?"

"He survived, thank the gods. I'm not sure he will ever fly again though."

Cloudjumper grunted, gaining Wildr's attention and a minute later, winning a smile from the boy. He grabbed his never-absent charcoal and paper, scribbling down a translation.

"Saved them. No regret."

"Thank you Cloudjumper. Would you mind if I took a look?"

The Stormcutter didn't move, but he nodded and Hiccup investigated the terrible injuries as best he could without touching them. The gashes were deep, had torn clean through the thinnest membrane around his wing joints. He was still bleeding, through dragons didn't bleed as much as humans. Valka hovered nearby, anxious but trusting Hiccup to be near the lamed dragon.

"I'm going to give you something to help you sleep, then I'm going to patch you up as best we can. Thank you for protecting them so much. Mom, I got this, don't worry."

His mother turned around, checking on the baby, keeping an eye on Finn and getting the pot to warm yak milk for them all. Hiccup, mind on its mission, collected the herbs together and mixed them up to make Cloudjumper sleep - a big dragon needed a big dose. Next came bandages, the healing balm Midnight had helped him make. Toothless watched Hiccup with Midnight, but didn't make a sound of complaint and Hiccup was thankful for that.

"There we go buddy. Alright, lets fix you up."

Night Fury saliva served as both healing and sticky, so Hiccup had a double effect in getting Midnight first to spit in the bowl, then lick the dressings so he could place them over the worst injuries for the poor dragon who had taken care of his mother for over twenty years. Granted, after kidnapping her, but Hiccup knew the gods had willed things that way and accepted it a long time ago. As he finished, thanking Midnight and then turning to make a fuss of ever so patient Toothless, he felt a faint smile seeing his mother coo at the baby.

"Does she have a name?"

"Did anybody mention one to you?"

"No, but if anybody knew what Astrid would call your daughter, it would be you."

"When she was having Finn" the yak milk was done, so he dispensed it into cups and they all huddled around the warming drink "obviously we didn't know if she was having a girl or boy. So had names for both."

"So she is..."

"Rain. I think it was to match Stormfly."

"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Hiccup let the warmth of the yak milk fill his cold, wasted body for a few minutes, watching Finn and Wildr do the same before dozing off leant against each other. It was sweet but painful, but also meant Hiccup's mind could take a break from performing everything was ok in front of them. He did move them to the playpen corner, so they could lean against cushions rather than fall back.

"What am I gonna do? How do I tell Finn? How do I face Astrid's father ever again? Gods, how do I even feed my daughter?"

His mind began to race again. Hiccup really needed to take a bath, because he could feel Astrid's death all over him. He really needed to change out of the clothes that barely fit him and and didn't belong to him. Hel, Hiccup really wanted to fly off into the night and fall into the ocean, let the cold roiling waves wash him out of existence.

"I believe I can help with that last question. Hush little one, it's alright."

Hiccup stared in confusion as his mother placed Rain down, shucked her coat and then shifted her tunic aside to nurse her granddaughter.

"You haven't fed Wildr like that in months, how-"

"The day you went missing, there was an emergency trip to Gothi because of the blue oleander. Wildr was affected by it too. While there, Gothi handed me the pouch of herbs that I had used while having sickness when pregnant with Wildr."

"So you're..."

"With child. Yes Hiccup."

"Why didn't you mention it before?"

Hiccup tried to reign himself in - getting mad at his mother was not something he ever wanted to do and the accusation in his voice was unacceptable.

"I did not wish to overwhelm you. I'm sorry Hiccup."

Odin, now he was hurting her. Could he do much else wrong? She wouldn't even meet his eyes, and Hiccup felt like slime. The dragons responded to the tension, snuffling anxiously until Hiccup tried to soothe them.

"I'm sorry bud. Why not take Midnight for a fly, show her the island? Maybe take her to get something to eat from the feeding stations. If you see a bad guy, get outta there though. Deal?"

Toothless nodded, bumping his hand with his muzzle. Midnight copied, then bounced around to follow her Alpha out - she had had little chance to eat since the previous afternoon, and hadn't flown properly in what could have been weeks, months even. Cloudjumper was sleeping, Beast back in his tub resting. The boys were napping together quite sweetly. It was all sort of... perfect except for the confusion and grief racing around over Astrid's death.

"I'm sorry mom. I'm not mad at you, and you were right. I am a little overwhelmed."

"It's alright my boy."

Rain was suckling away happily, and Hiccup realised that his mother was actually responsible for the life of every human in their home - she had bore Wildr and himself, and would have no grandchildren if she had not had him. And here she was nursing the newborn, sustaining the fragile life out of love for him and the baby. It was enough to make fresh tears rise to his eyes.

"I need to go take a bath and shave, but I won't be long ok? Then I won't have to leave you until we have to go anywhere tomorrow."

He was babbling, but luckily his mother was used to it. She kissed his forehead, then his lips gently as though he wasn't utterly revolting to behold. He did have ulterior motives in wanting to go and bathe alone quickly - he wasn't quite prepared to let anybody see how bad he looked beneath the clothes. Scarred and starved, Hiccup didn't want to see sadness or even disgust where he had once seen desire in his mothers eyes, or love in his sons.

"Off you go then. We will still be here."

Casting one more longing look at her and his children, Hiccup forced his reluctant limbs up the stairs, gratefully finding Sharpshot sleeping on his bed and the tub already full of water he could heat up. He dumped clean tunic, leggings and shorts on on the stool they would sit on when bathing Finn or Wildr, then hmm-ed sadly to himself before finding a belt that would help hold up his bottoms.

The borrowed black tunic was disgusting, covered in sweat, soot, dragon saliva and flecks of a months worth of food. Hiccup consigned it to a fire and tossed it aside as his bath water warmed, tracing fingers over the scars he could see across his stomach, wrapping around his hips and waist and, as he followed them with his fingers, spreading across his lower back too. Dagur had been far too happy with a blade in hand.

His ribs and hips were visible, any muscles gained before wasted away and his wrists and knees looked sharp enough to break out of his skin. Hiccup couldn't believe only a month had done this to him. One mere lunar cycle ago, he had been celebrating his sons birthday. Now his wife was dead and his mother pregnant, wondering how to tell his son their mother was never coming home.

And... Astrid's last mumbled words still rang in his ears. Though nobody else had heard those words. Her voice had been gurgling, blood in her mouth but the words had cut clean through him.

"I know about her. When they are calling her mom, make sure they still know who I am."

Astrid had known. Maybe even all along. And her last words were practically a blessing to let Hiccup and Valka raise their children - so long as they knew who Astrid was. He had no words, nothing that could do justice to that magnitude of acceptance and offering.

Sinking into water that almost burned his chilled skin off, Hiccup scrubbed himself raw. The water turned dark and dirty almost immediately, even the soap bubbles mottled by the grime and filth and blood on his skin. His hair was matted and dirty, full of Midnight's saliva where she had tried to mother him like a baby dragon as they shared warmth.

Still, Hiccup rinsed himself off twice, skin glowing pink and nerves tingling from the harsh treatment of the soap, sponge and temperature. He dried himself off and practically crawled into the clothes, metal leg protesting at the temperature difference and rough treatment as he shoved it into the leggings. The mirror had steamed over, but Hiccup regretfully wiped it off and faced his reflection.

A spare hair tie laid next to the mirror, so Hiccup tied it into his longer hair to keep it out of the way while he attacked his face with a blade, removing every bit of scruff until his jaw was left only stubbled again. He could go deeper and remove it all, but his arms were starting to shake with exertion and Hiccup didn't trust himself not to slip. Removing the hair tie, Hiccup put on his spare boot from next to his bed and made his way downstairs.

"Feel better?"

"A little. The bathtub looks gross though, I pity the dragon who helps me empty it."

Valka smiled gently, shifting along on her seat to make room for Hiccup so he could peer over and look at Rain. Her eyelids were fluttering, but he could see the blue colour of her eyes.

"Would you like to hold her instead?"

"I would, but I'm not sure I'm strong enough."

His eyes dropped, but his mother didn't let him wallow in it, made him turn to sit sideways so when Rain was placed in his arms, his bent knees allowed his thighs to help support her weight. Awestruck by the tiny little girl, Hiccup still panicked when his mother stood and made to move away from him.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Just to get the eggs son. Technically, it's time for breakfast and you need to eat."

He nodded, turning his eyes back to Rain and feeling soothed when gentle fingers ran through his damp hair, reassuring him she was there. He normally did the cooking, but he was too weak to do much of anything. How he had made it through the battle was beyond him, but it had sapped him completely. He was even too weak to hold his daughter properly.

Some chief.

Green and his fellow Brutes had taken their leave within minutes of Dagur's demise, after Valka detoured for a second to thank them for their help. Their losses were not Green's fault, the death toll would likely have been much higher without the help of the Brute dragons.

"Our debt is settled."

"And then some. Thank you Green. I can never repay you enough for your help."

"Never tell anybody where to find us. Then we are even."

"Of course. I wish you peace and safety."

"Likewise. We will ensure the Titan returns home on our way. Take care of your kin, particularly the dragonborn."

Five huge dragons took off, vanishing above the cloud barrier out of sight with Tigu in tow. Eret, who had patiently waited a little way away, flew alongside her to the cove only to find another blow. Her son was safe, Midnight too, but Cloudjumper had sustained serious injuries. He may never fly again.

Hiccup took that in stride, treating the injured wings as best he could with nothing but herbs, bandages and the saliva of a Night Fury. Despite all the things that had befallen them, Hiccup was alight with life when taking care of a dragon. Within a month he had bonded so tightly with Midnight, who was still skittish with other humans... Hiccup must have told her about his family, as Midnight growled at Eret but smiled at her, at their children. Had displayed zero threatening behaviour to any Haddock.

Then once Cloudjumper was as treated as he could be at that time, Hiccup fell back into the dark moods. For a brief second, Valka worried he was genuinely unhappy to hear that she was carrying his fourth child. He apologised, and when they kissed softly before he went to take a bath, Valka felt better.

Rain was such a sweet little thing, happy now she was fed and warm and blinking her wide blue eyes while Hiccup went for an admittedly much needed bath. He returned scrubbed clean, near-clean-shaven and dressed in clothes she could see were loose. His movements weren't as stiff, but she could tell he was hyper-aware of his body.

Her heart broke for him when Hiccup said he wasn't strong enough to hold his daughter, thin arms shaky even while they sat at his side. Valka helped him sit in an easy position that didn't require his wasted muscles to work hard, then set about trying to feed him.

Both Hiccup and his newborn daughter were frail, needed love and care to gain their strength. And Valka was determined they would both get it.

Hiccup traded Rain for the bowl of eggs and yak jerky she handed him, placing the now sleeping girl back in her cradle so she too could eat. Hiccup made them so much better... but he was obviously so used to eating what was available he ate them like they were the finest delicacy.

"I didn't eat much while we were trapped. Midnight needed it more. Her wing was badly broken, muscles wasting away and covered in burns and scrapes. I splinted her wing, fed her up and treated her wounds. She was so thin, I was scared it was too late. But she made it."

He didn't look to be talking directly to her, eyes still on his bowl as he started chewing on the jerky. But at least he was talking, not staring in vacant silence. His voice was dull and scratchy from lack of use, and she felt sad for her boy again when he drank his canteen slowly before he realised, explaining that they had had to be careful not to waste water.

"Midnight made it. You made it. Rain will be just like you. We Haddocks are a tough lot, too boar-headed and stubborn to stay down long."

That won her a faint smile, and he looked a little healthier by the time Finn and Wildr woke, hungry and seeking breakfast and their fathers company. Valka got them to sit and eat away from him at first - to allow Hiccup a few minutes to massage his stretched-full stomach and huff out little sighs of discomfort before he was capable of handling two happy young Viking boys at once.

"Dad!"

"Dada!"

"Gods, I missed you boys so much. Now you have a baby sister you have to be nice to, you following me?"

"Sister baby!"

Wildr simply nodded, casting his eyes over to the crib before wriggling under Hiccup's arm with a contented smile at having his father back. It was a beautiful sight, but the sadness would not be ignored forever as Finn tugged Hiccup's sleeve, gaining his fathers attention.

"Where's mama?"

Green eyes filled with tears for a second as Hiccup pulled Finn close, stroking the boys messy light hair.

"Mama has gone away."

"When she coming back?"

Finn stuck his thumb in his mouth, a sign of distress as he picked up Hiccup's tension.

"She's not son. Mama went away to Valhalla, she's gone to be with my dad."

"Was he alone-ly?"

"I think he may well have been lonely, yeah son."

"Mama did good to go to him then. No cry dada."

Finn's longest ever sentence, and it was him comforting his father about Astrid's death. It was painfully sweet. He reached up a hand to wipe clumsily at Hiccup's tear-streaked cheek, offering him his biggest smile again.

"That's a good way to look at it son. Love you little Viking. You too little dragon."

Wildr joined in the Haddock boy cuddle, both young ones smiling at their father with doting eyes. From the mouth of babes... it was hard to argue with such a pure, untainted view of the world. She had little doubt that Finn would come to find distress when he realised his mother was never coming back, but for now Hiccup didn't have an inconsolable son.

"Love... you dad."

Hiccup's whole face transformed at Wildr's utterance, their boys limited capability to speak human meaning that they had given up expecting to hear words like "mom", "dad" or "love". And yet Wildr continued to amaze them.

"I love you too son. What's say we go feed Beast hmm? He's been ever so patient."

"Beast!"

Finn chipped in too, carrying a fish in each hand and tossing them into the baby dragons tub. Beast snuffled gratefully, spines flaring gently when Wildr dumped the bowlful into his water. As Valka watched Hiccup do his usual measurements, he turned around in amazement after counting the spines atop his head.

"He's got more. In fact, if I find my drawing..." Hiccup rifled through his stack of notes and doodles of Beast "yeah, look! That's a whole new row."

"Amazing. To actually see this graceful species mature from a hatchling..."

Valka trailed off, a frightening thought occurring to her as they faced the reminders of their own mortality. Hiccup noticed immediately, stopping mid-sketching to stand up and face her.

"Mom. What's wrong?"

I'm frightened I'll die of old age before we see our children grow up.

"Nothing. I just... I was remembering my old friend."

His face softened, a sweet kiss brushed over her cheek. It made her stomach twist for the lie she told.

"Understandable."

Hiccup didn't get a chance to say anything more before there was activity at the dragon door, Toothless and Midnight practically bursting in with lizard-esque grins and bumping each others muzzles gently. Hiccup headed over, patting both scaled heads.

"Guess I don't have to worry about you two getting along huh? Did you have a nice flight?"

Toothless nodded, but Valka watched on in confusion as Midnight nosed at his side, trying to push up his tunic.

"Midnight, no. I just had a bath!"

The smaller dragon recoiled slightly, and Hiccup immediately knelt down in front of her and reached his hand out. Valka could watch her boy with dragons forever.

"Sorry girl. I'm not mad, but I'm not hurting anymore so you don't need to do that. Focus on taking care of yourself, alright?"

Midnight relaxed under his hand, and Toothless helped Hiccup stand. Her eyes didn't miss how Hiccup checked his tunic was in place, the twitching hand that pressed to the side Midnight had gone for. He had said he'd been hurting... Valka had to stop herself yanking up the tunic to see for herself. Hiccup was so clearly self conscious it may upset him greatly, as though anything could change how much she loved and wanted him.

Her sweet boy. Her son and the father of her children.

The dragons were formally introduced to the newest Haddock child, each taking turns to sniff the hatchling. Rain gave them her best curious stare, but of course noticed very little other than big black blurs with differently coloured eyes floating in front of her face. Then Cloudjumper, the blue and sunset-orange with an uncanny ability to twist his head around and flex his head-fins.

"Should I... should we go to the Great Hall for lunch? Show my face?"

"Is that what you want to do?"

"No, but a tribe looks to their chief. I'm supposed to-"

"Hiccup."

He stopped when she placed hands on his shoulders, giving her that look of vulnerability. Looking very much like a scared little boy playing chief.

"You have just returned from a terrible ordeal, and managed to rally for the battle. Today is for you, for us. They can survive without you telling them what to do for one more day."

Hiccup buried his face in her chest, clutching around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissed his still-damp hair and let him take whatever strength he required from her. The boys joined in, each hugging one of Hiccup's and her legs each as their father wobbled and wavered under the tremendous strain on deceptively strong shoulders.

The baby kicked up against Hiccup's stomach, prompting that beautiful lopsided smile that she remembered from being pregnant with Wildr. That instinctive, primal love for ones child that Valka had taken a step too far, but with such amazing, perfect results. Like Hiccup helping Wildr and Finn reach to feel the kicks, quietly telling them that it was a secret for now while everyone was busy after the bad men had been there.

"New sister baby?"

"Might be brother baby Finn. Don't know until they get here little man, but remember-"

"Secret. Like Beast!"

Finn puffed out his chubby little cheeks in a wide grin, then followed Wildr over to sit by Cloudjumper where they played quietly and kept the injured dragon company. There was a knock at the door, Eret slowly peering his head around it and looking rather tired - he had been running around for Hiccup for hours now without a seconds complaint.

"Hey chief. So, everyones back from the caves and the island sweep turned up clear except for some dead Berserkers that ran into wild dragons. Most of the ships are only good for building pyres, but we salvaged fourteen out of about seventy five ships."

Hiccup nodded to Eret, squeezing her hand in his own regardless of the audience - they had been holding hands like that since she came back to Berk, usually when they pulled each other along excitedly over something dragon related.

"What's the count?"

"Including Astrid... fifty seven. And two dragons, but they went down fighting. Best guess, near a thousand Berserkers down based on what we know about the armada sizes."

"Used to be a hundred ships. We trashed a lot in previous fights. We may have wiped out most of Berserker island population. And with Dagur and Heather dead and neither of them having kids... I think it may have been enough to cripple them for a good long while."

"What's the deal with those two?"

"Brother and sister. Why?"

"Hmm. One of the soldiers I fought... coulda sworn he said they were a thing."

"Might have been both. It is Dagur."

Eret cringed, patting Toothless where the dragon sniffed him. Valka almost did the same, then realised - she could hardly judge, having been repeatedly intimate with her own son.

"Astrid has her own ship, the rest... try to keep families and friends together wherever possible. Make sure there's a list. We'll honour every single one of them, but we can't send sixty burning boats off at once and we know what happens if we wait."

"You got it chief. Uh... Gobber and the other riders wanted to know if they could come see the baby, I said I would ask since I'm the designated runner."

"Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Gobber first. Tuff and Snotlout can come after they go if they promise to be quiet and calm, because we really can't fit anymore in."

Eret looked around at the crowded space - even with the extension Hiccup made to fit more dragons in.

"You need anything brought along? I mean, everyones sent food and gifts in support. Skullcrusher has them if you want me to bring it in."

"Uh, sure, thanks. We're low on water I think... Beast goes through a lot."

She watched as Hiccup tried to stay stable, pushing him gently but firmly into a seat and heading out with Eret to help bring in the baskets of food and baby gifts. The new furs may come in handy - Hiccup needed to be kept warm.

"I'll go to the Great Hall and get everyone started on the funeral stuff... and get Gobber to bring you guys a barrel of water canteens. You take good care of our chief, yeah?"

"Of course Eret. Thank you for being so..."

She couldn't find a word, but he understood.

"No problem. I mean, this place didn't have to take me in or forgive me for being a Trapper, but they gave me a home and I love it here. I'm going to do my best to deserve that."

"That is a wonderful aim Eret. A friend of the dragons is a friend of mine."

Eret smiled, bowed his head and walked off with Skullcrusher in tow. The Rumblehorn had taken to his new rider quite well, though sometimes he could be seen looking up at the statue of Stoick with a sad sort of sorrow. Much like Hiccup. Chancing a glance, Valka was relieved to see the statue had not been damaged in the brawl - the Brutes had not destroyed it, and the Berserkers hadn't gotten that far.

Hiccup managed to entertain his friends, though each was quietly warned not to be loud or talk sadly of Astrid in front of Finn. Even so, she could see it exhausted him just to be around them - he wanted to just be with his family in that moment, no matter what he and his friends had been through together.

They shared a quiet but plentiful dinner - thanks to the baby-celebration gifts, and Hiccup promised to officially present his daughter after the funeral to the village via Eret. Hiccup checked on Cloudjumper again while Valka nursed her granddaughter, the blue eyes fixed on her until she began to drift off.

Hiccup watched with a fond expression, taking Rain to wind and place down in the cot still in Valka's room under an extra fur. Cloudjumper could see them through the slightly open door, and Wildr and Finn both curled up together with Toothless and Midnight next to Beast. They locked the doors for the first time in a long time, and finally the two managed to crawl into bed together that evening to cradle each other close.

His fingers played across her face, tired eyes absorbing her as though they would never see each other again. Eventually, Hiccup kissed her softly and spoke even softer.

"Do you want to know what Astrid said to me?"

"Only if you wish to share it. I wouldn't intrude on that last moment."

Hiccup closed his eyes, inhaling deeply as he ran a hand through her unbraided hair. They were both lightly dressed in sleep tunics, but Hiccup had pulled the furs over his legs the second they laid down as though he couldn't bear to be seen.

"She told me she knew about us. She told me... she said when the kids are calling you mom that she just wanted them to know who she was."

Astrid's last act on Earth before she left for Valhalla had been one of love and acceptance. Stoick's last action had been to save Hiccup, and Astrid's had been to free him of guilt. They were as free to love each other as they could be... though they could never tell anybody that.

"Is it wrong to feel... good about that?"

"Do you want to feel bad?"

"No!" Hiccup realised he risked waking the others, lowering his voice again quickly "but I think I ought to be... guilty that Astrid knew, maybe all along, that she wasn't my one and only. She died knowing that. I feel guilty that I don't feel guilty."

His eyes fell closed as she cupped his cheek, leaning in to her touch as he had done the first time she dared touch his face properly.

"Do you not think Astrid said those words to free you from guilt, and so by not allowing those feelings to build up, you are doing what she actually wanted?"

Hiccup nodded stiffly, then wrapped his thin arm around her shoulder and resumed kissing her softly. It was almost sinful in it's ease, that despite their clan loss the two could set it aside when their mouths found each other. Hiccup's lips were chapped from the poor care he had received in his captivity, but Valka didn't care. One hand quested beneath her tunic, not quite as insistent as he often was - simply seeking to touch her stomach, feel the swell there. He seperated their mouths, whispering against her lips.

"I meant what I said, I'm not mad at you. It's actually... amazing. You're amazing. And I'm sorry you ever had to think otherwise earlier."

"I already told you, it's fine."

"It's not, but it will be. How far along are you?"

"I only began to feel movement quite recently. Four, maybe four and a half months?"

He did look genuinely happy, roughened fingers feather light as the coasted across her stomach, tickling at the marks that told of how her body had bore two children already. It settled her, that reminder that Hiccup found such things appealing - he called them warrior stripes, told Valka they simply showed she was strong and that her body had created children, kissed the marks when he stripped her bare.

She also couldn't exactly argue with his erection pressing against her thigh either.

When Valka tried to touch Hiccup in turn however, he shrank away and she could tell even in their limited light from the moon through her open air-vent hole - Beast needed a constant supply of fresh air, his (proportionally) massive lungs going through it quite quickly - that he was trying to curl up in on himself, almost turning away from her entirely.

"What's wrong?"

"I just... I don't want to be looked at right now."

She reached out a hand slowly, trailing it down his exposed, tense arm.

"What if I don't look?"

Hiccup's eyes raised to hers slowly, a hint of relaxation showing though he stayed curled up.

"You promise?"

"I swear."

She just wanted to touch, to feel Hiccup was there again. Closing her eyes was a small price, and there was little to be seen in the darkness now.

"Alright. But I don't want you to be grossed out when I'm really-"

"Hush now Hiccup. It's alright."

He fell silent, slowly uncurling and sidling back where she could reach to touch him. He went first, brushing thumbs across her closed eyelids before he leant in and kissed her. Valka explored him slowly, knowing if she showed signs of distress Hiccup would take it as judgement on his body and send his already low confidence through the floor.

Hiccup squirmed beneath her touch, whole frame tensing when she found them - scars lining his stomach, then wrapping up around his side when her fingers followed the raised lines across his skin. Her immediate instinct was to lift the tunic and see them, but Hiccup had only allowed this on the basis she not look. So Valka swallowed her curiosity, finding each one was closed over and satisfying herself with the knowledge he had no open wounds - for now.

His hip bones were sharp against his skin, and Hiccup whimpered against her mouth when a hand reached his slightly jutting ribcage above the stomach still slightly full and curved from dinner. Hiccup buried his hands in her hair again, kissing her more intently as though he needed to distract from the shame he felt for his body.

Even so, Hiccup seemed perfectly agreeable when Valka reached for his shorts, biting softly at her lower lip to quiet himself as her hand touched hot, firm flesh. His left hand slid down her back, squeezed at the curve of her rear and his hips bucked against her palm when she squeezed him in return. They were adults with a considerable age gap, parents, dragon riders... but there they were fooling around like teenagers and it was intoxicating to hear him try to quiet his needy sounds for her.

"Not... uh, not gonna take much."

Sure enough, his narrow thighs were already beginning to shake beneath her, his kisses turning sloppy as he gasped into her mouth. She felt his shaft swell and twitch in her hand, hot liquid spilling over her fingers as Hiccup whined and shuddered through the climax. His hands gripped at her to ground himself, soft puffs of air against her neck where Hiccup pressed his face to quiet post-coital gasping breaths.

"Sorry... that was embarrassingly fast."

His cheeks were flushed, eyes bright in the dark as he guided her to wipe her hand off on his shorts - the easiest thing for him to go without if they were soiled. Valka smiled, kissed him softly.

"I consider it a compliment."

Hiccup chuckled, seemingly feeling a little better as he kissed her again, reaching for her thighs to no doubt return the favour of bringing her pleasure with his hand.

Alas, it was not to be.

Rain started to wail from her crib, forcing the two apart as Hiccup stumbled from the bed - his side was closest - to try and reach her before she woke the other inhabitants of the room.

"Hey now, what's all this noise? Ah, no wonder. She needs changing."

"Are you up to it?"

Hiccup obviously had to consider it - if his arms gave out holding Rain it could be catastrophic, but he was doing better after a days rest and food.

"Yeah. I think she's hungry too, so..."

He winked cheekily in the near dark, lifting the baby to change her soiled diaper out in the other room - the dragons would not appreciate him doing it in the room with her. His coordination luckily saw him out without tripping over a dragon, but his metal leg against heavy floors stirred Toothless and Midnight.

"Sorry guys, nothings wrong. Just changing the baby."

They could not live essentially all in one room indefinitely, but right now they needed the close-knit nest as they fought back control over a tumultuous situation. Hiccup brought a freshly changed Rain in to her, eyes roving over her bare chest as she brought the baby close and smiled as she latched on. Hiccup touched her soft head, then kissed his mothers temple.

"Guess we'll have to get used to interruptions. About to be four kids, five dragons."

"Five?"

"These four and Stormfly. Astrid always said if anything happened to her, that she wanted Stormfly to stay with Finn. Assuming the dragon wanted that of course."

Valka nodded, watching Rain peer up at them with her huge baby eyes, having no idea of all the things that led up to this current situation where she was being nursed by her grandmother, who was in bed with her son. Tomorrow they would be at the massive funeral, mourning the loss of a battle that could have gone so much worse - not that every death wasn't tragic, but they had gotten off lightly compared to the Berserkers.

"Love you mom."

"I love you too son."

-HTTYD-

I'm not sure if it comes across well, but this is not meant to come off as Hiccup and Valka celebrating that Hiccup's wife is out of the way. I'm hoping it doesn't come out that way but I thought I would clarify.

Also, Bonding reached 10,000 views today! Thank you to each and every reader!