Chapter 26: In which Astrid receives a visit

"What is this called again?" Astrid sniffed the bag Ruffnut had shoved into her grasp.

"Moon tea." Ruffnut gave a little nod toward the bag. "It's supposed to prevent babies from popping out of you before you want the little grubs to."

Astrid wrinkled her nose at the pile of tea leaves in the bag. She knew this smell. "I think this is the tea my mother used to brew when I was younger. I never liked the smell."

"It tastes better than it smells." Ruff swirled her fingers around. "Just put honey in it and you won't even notice."

"How'd you get this anyways?" Astrid could take a good guess but asked anyway.

"My mom has a HUGE stash of it." And there it was. Astrid was slowly learning way more about Ms. Thorston than she wished to. "I've drank it several times. Not that any beefcake has tried to conquer this, but when the times comes, I'll be prepared." With the click of her tongue, Ruffnut proudly shot a finger gun.

"Hey!" someone shouted from behind. Astrid groaned to herself, knowing exactly who it was. "You two ladies discussing these?" She grudgingly glanced over her shoulder to find Snotlout flexing his biceps and groaned out loud this time.

A filthy grin spread across Ruff's face. "Speaking of beefcakes—"

Astrid took that as her cue to head home. Hiccup had left for work after lunch to finish up at the forge for the day. Their routine had shifted ever since Toothless had literally shot down into their lives. Her and Hiccup would feed and work with the arena dragons before their morning duties. Then it was dragon training with Gobber. The dragons did well most of the time with pretending to be fearsome beasts. They hit their cues when needing to. The only problem was after they were "subdued" they'd want a reward, and Hiccup would sneak a little treat to them. He was tired of smelling like fish.

After lunch, if their duties were finished, they'd venture out to the cove to be with Toothless. Soaring endlessly over the sea, they'd explored miles upon miles far from Berk. Sometimes they'd cook fish over a fire for supper, or they'd trek back home to cook up a heartier meal. They're evening routine hadn't changed. Warm mugs in front of the firepit. They're chairs were pushed closer now. Astrid would rest a hand on Hiccup's knee, or Hiccup would lean on the heel of his hand behind her to close the gap between them.

No dragon raids. No drama. Just life. An enjoyable life.

Astrid wished it could remain this way always, but she knew it wouldn't. Stoick and the band of Vikings he'd taken on the search for the Nest had yet to return. One day soon her and Hiccup would have to reveal their plan. One day soon they'd either fly or fall.

Astrid hung the kettle over the firepit. A strange eagerness had set in, fluttering about in her chest. She didn't know when her and Hiccup would consummate their marriage, but this was one step closer. She tried not to linger on it too much. Hiccup had wanted it to occur without plan, and if she was honest with herself, she really did too. But Astrid couldn't help the little sparks of excitement when her mind wandered to the press of his lips to hers or his fingertips gliding across her skin. Astrid blushes a pretty shade at the thought. How fast she had changed her mind about absolutely no one kissing her!

A bubbling noise boiled from the kettle. Astrid grabbed the hook and lifted the iron kettle from the firepit. Setting it down on small stand nearby, she deposited some tea leaves into a mug then using a mitt, poured the steaming hot water over the leaves. All that was left was to wait for it to steep and add honey.

Her head snapped up at a placid knock on the door. Her eyebrows knitted together. They never received visitors. She answered the door, surprised and yet not surprised at the same time, to find her mother waiting there.

"Mother, what're you doing here?"

"Is it a crime to visit my only daughter?" Ingrid Hofferson looked expectantly at Astrid. Stepping aside, she let her in. "Astrid, I never see you anymore."

A ting of guilt pressed in her chest. "I'm sorry, Mother. I have a lot of responsibilities these days."

Ingrid waved her excuse away. "Of course. Of course. You're a married woman. Come. Let us sit and catch up." Both women settled down at the kitchen table. "I've hardly seen you since the last dragon raid. How is Hiccup treating you?"

"Good." Such a vague answer. Astrid searched for a better reply that wouldn't give too much away. "We've gotten close."

"I'm glad." Ingrid offered her a tight smile, not quite reaching her eyes. "I worried over this arrangement. Your father and the Chief didn't give much room for discussion. Hiccup seems like a nice boy, no matter how destructive he can be at times." She paused, eyeing Astrid carefully. "Is he gentle with you?"

Astrid's mouth gaped open, bewildered by the question. But the meaning finally caught up with her. Why was her mother concerned in this area of her life? Were husbands meant to mount their wives like beast in the wild? Astrid couldn't fathom Hiccup taking her in such a way. If he ever tried, he'd probably end up with a bloody nose and dislocated shoulder.

Astrid exhaled a quiet breath, finding the subject far more awkward to discuss with her mother than with Ruffnut. And the fact that they hadn't consummated their marriage made it even more difficult to speak such matters. "Mother, there's nothing to be concerned about." Hiccup was gentle in all aspects of their relationship. He was attentive to her wants and never forced her into anything. Sometimes he was overly cautious when expressing what he desired. Besides the misunderstand they had for those few days, he'd gotten better at communicating his wants for her. "He's good to me. He really is."

Ingrid leaned forward, asking in a hushed tone as if trying to keep anyone from overhearing. "How are you feeling? Any queasiness?"

"No. I'm feeling fine."

"What about tenderness in your bosom?"

Astrid glanced down at her chest as if to consult it. "No tenderness."

"How's your flow? Have you kept track of it?"

At the mention of her monthly cycle, Astrid knew exactly what her mother was digging for. Her mouth gaped open for a brief second. "Mother! Is this a friendly visit or an interrogation?"

Ingrid reached across the table to pat her daughter's hand. "I can't help to be a wee eager when it comes to the thought of a babe. You'll be carrying the future chief of Berk! What an honor that is, dear. And, I want you to receive the very best care as soon as the symptoms appear."

"I can assure you I am not with child." The gods would have to place a babe in her belly themselves for her to say she was. At least for the time being.

Her mother's mouth turns down in disappointment. Ingrid had birthed one child but had experienced pregnancy four times. After three miscarriages prior to Astrid's birth, she'd given up on baring more children and taken to drinking the moon tea to prevent anymore heartache.

Ingrid sniffed then drew in a deeper inhale. She flicked her gaze to the mug on the table. The wisps of steam curled into the air from its liquidy contents. Ingrid reached for the mug. "I haven't smelled this in quite a while." She brought the aroma to her nose, throwing a puzzled look at Astrid. "Is this moon tea?"

Astrid shifted uncomfortably, the helfy gaze of her mother pinning her. "Yes."

Ingrid sat back with a huff. "And here I was hoping for a grandbabe when this whole time you were stifling that chance." If only her mother knew moon tea wasn't the only thing keeping her from being pregnant.

"Please understand, Mother," Astrid appealed, "I'm not ready for a baby. Me and Hiccup— we have something good going on, and I don't want that to change anytime soon. Let us get to know each other first before we bring another person into this marriage."

Ingrid held her daughter with the motherly regard of disappointment. Then it melted and she grasped Astrid's hand. "I understand. When you're young and falling in love and wanting to be with each other – just the two of you."

Every muscle in Astrid's body seized up. The blue of her eyes popped at the assumption. Love wasn't a word she'd considered when this marriage was arranged. Hel, falling in love with someone wasn't even in her orbit of thought…ever. Now that the revelation had been voiced, it wouldn't easily slip from her mind.

What was love? She'd seen love displayed in many different ways. From physical affection to sacrificing one's life for another. It was all love. It was everything that she felt, everything that she would do for Hiccup. Maybe, just maybe, she did love him. She shook her head of the heaviness, stashing it away to sort later. Right now was not the time.

The front door opened, and it was as if her ponderings manifested him into existence. Hiccup halted right there in the doorway, staring wide-eyed at the two women like a child caught swiping honeycakes. "Hey Mrs. Hofferson. You're here." He scratched at the back of his neck and thumbed toward the door. "Should I leave?"

"Oh, no Hiccup, you don't have to leave your own house," Ingrid informed with a little chuckle as she stood. "I was just leaving. You two have a life to carry on with." She gathered Astrid into a motherly embrace that spoke more than words could. Heading toward the door, she grabbed Hiccup's hand and gave it a squeeze. Curtesy goodbye greetings were dispensed as Ingrid let herself out.

Hiccup watched until the door shut. "I think your mom was trying to break some bones," he remarked, shaking his hand free of the aches. "Her grip is almost as strong as my dad's."

"Don't let her soft tone fool you." Hidden behind Ingrid Hofferson's maternal gentleness was a fierce mother bear that kept her apprehensions to herself until if or when they needed addressing.

"Were you two having tea together?"

"No," Astrid sighed, occupying the chair once more. "She dropped in to check up on me."

Hiccup nodded, acknowledging her. He grabbed up the mug of cooling tea to take a sip.

"She was also fishing around to see if I was bearing you a child."

Hiccup seized up and choked on the tea currently flowing down his windpipe. Astrid snorted a laugh, smacking his back to help it go down. He coughed a few times, sputtering out, "What is with our parents and grandchildren?"

Astrid shrugged. "Everyone is awaiting the future chief of Berk to be birthed."

He swirled the contents of the mug absently as he gazed into its shallow depths. "What did you tell her?"

"She sort of figured it out herself when she smelled my tea." The corner of Astrid's mouth quirked up knowing Hiccup didn't know what this particular tea was for.

"What does the tea have to do with anything?"

"It's called moon tea and it's for preventing pregnancy."

Hiccup froze, the freckles on his face darkening at his sudden paleness. "If it prevents you from being pregnant then what would it do to me?"

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Probably nothing, you dork. You're not a woman."

Hiccup carefully set down the mug as if the contents would pop out and bite him. All Astrid could do was shake her head. Men became weird when it came to sensitive matters of women. She doused the firepit with the remaining water in the kettle, the wood crackling and steam rising as the water made contact.

"C'mon." Nabbing Hiccup's hand, she tugged him toward the door. The room seemed to be closing in on her after that whole conversation. "I need to get out of here for a while. I'm sure Toothless is itching to stretch his wings."

Hiccup followed along, eagerly. "Good idea."