-Chapter 12-

False Alarm

The moment they had touched down outside of Astrid's family home, Eret was falling over himself to return inside. He missed Brenna entirely while in his one track mind.

"False Alarm." She alerted and they deflated from their positions atop their dragons. "Though I suspect real labor should be starting very soon." She reassured.

Astrid dismounted and Stormfly took her leave around back, most likely to fall back asleep.

"How was she today?" She asked and Hiccup sat idly by awaiting Brenna's response.

"Honestly, very well. She's been sitting up all day. She looks a whole lot better too. Bored." Brenna laughed.

"That's a relief." Astrid smiled and gave Hiccup a glance.

Hiccup pointed to his chest then looked behind himself, turning dramatically to make sure she was looking at him. Astrid only rolled her eyes.

Sensing she was no longer needed Brenna went back inside.

"I'll talk to Heather, turns out there might be a wedding in the very near future after all." Astrid commented slyly stepping up to stand beside toothless.

With his hands on his hips and a smile on his face, Hiccup beamed down at her excitedly.

"Gods I hope so." The grin he wore turned downright dorky.

But who was Astrid kidding, she loved dorky.

Ignoring Toothless's impatient warble Astrid reached up on her tippy toes to kiss him, and he met her halfway, placing a warm hand to the back of her head to hold her close. The moment was gone quickly when Toothless purposefully jostled his rider, causing Hiccup to have to let go and grip onto the saddle as his dragon decided that they were done.

"Useless reptile." Hiccup muttered shooting a grin filled scowl Astrid's way.

She shrugged and after they had taken off into the night she retired.

Preparations were fully underway once again. The indecisiveness of the to be wed couple giving Gobber a whiplash.

While Heather wasn't feeling monumentally better, they still decided it would be better to get married now then wait till after baby was born and then some for Heather's recovery. And Heather urged that decision as adamantly as the rest.

Astrid was trying on her dress one final time, right side out this time, and fitted to perfection. Her hair was loose and the white of the dress with gold embellishments was traditional, just as Astrid was.

"I'm getting married in three days." Astrid gawked as she eyed herself in the small mirror.

She twisted allowing the long skirt and loose arms to sway with her, it was tight about everywhere else. Around her chest and mid and upper arms, looser after the gold belt placed on her hips, the middle hanging low.

"I know that look." Heather announced from her cross legged position on the bed, leaned back comfortably against the head board.

"What look?" Astrid spared a glance back at her, still enraptured by the wedding dress, her wedding dress, and all it would entail for her.

Heather shook her head. "He's gonna love it."

Astrid honestly didn't realize she needed the affirmation, but she certainly couldn't say it didn't make her tingle all over.

He is gonna love it.

The days passed swiftly and it made Hiccup all the more nervous for their impending wedding. He wasn't nervous about marrying Astrid specifically. It was more of the nervousness of becoming her husband. It was nervous excited. Mostly excited, but a lot nervous.

Deep down though, Hiccup knew they were ready. Had know for quite some time. He was sure she felt the same about it, it was the only justifiable reason why she was okay with moving the wedding date up by at least three weeks.

That. And on account of their sick friend about to give birth any day now.

At the sound of a door shutting Hiccup let out a noise that couldn't really be explained. A squeak, but maybe more of a startled scream, or maybe both at the same time. Either way it was the most unmanly/un-Viking like sound he had made yet. And on the eve of his wedding no less.

"Gods Astrid, could you be any sneakier?" He let out a rushed breath, hand holding his thundering heart above his tunic.

"I wasn't trying to be. Thinking?" She questioned with a sly smile. Entering the room as comfortably as if it were her own.

Which by tomorrow night it would be.

"I'm always thinking Milady." He returned promptly and watched from his desk as she sat at the end of his bed. "Is there anything I could do for you this fine evening?"

They could both think of a couple of things.

Instead of voicing those things, Astrid simply replied with; "I'm tired of sleeping on the floor. And I figured since it's the eve of our wedding night I could just sleep in your bed. Since we're going to be sharing it for a long while." She grinned cheekily at him, watching a dopey grin spread across his own face.

"And what about the groom not seeing his bride the eve of the wedding?" He stalked closer, dutifully sending her heart racing.

"The way I see it..." she began pausing as he neared her and placed a calloused hand to her neck, thumb grazing her jaw. "... if we're holding true to one tradition..." he leaned down to kiss the corner of her mouth as not to inhibit her speech, but it didn't help. She took his face between both hands turning him slightly. "Let others be damned." She spoke breathlessly before she pulled him into a kiss, curving her body towards his.

He chuckled into the kiss at her crass remark.

"If that's the way you see it..." He lifted her bridal style into his arms, though she never relented her hold on him. "Then that is the way it shall be." Hiccups grin skyrocketed her heartbeat, but what really had her heart stopping was when suddenly she want in his arms anymore, and she was falling with a thud onto the mattress.

The moment her heart beat was returned to her, She laughed from her splayed position on the bed, laughing harder yet as he jumped into bed to join her.

The laid next to each other, Astrid on her back and Hiccup on his stomach, laughing breathlessly. And once they had ceased and caught their breaths Astrid reached out with slim fingertips to brush the stubble of his jaw lightly.

"I can't wait to be married to you." She nearly whispered, admiring the way his forest green eyes softened at her words.

"I can't wait to spend every night, just like this, here with you." He kissed her again, before shifting to blow out the candle on his bedside table, and remove his prosthetic.

It gave her just enough time to shift to lay properly in bed and lift the blanket. Before he was back, right next to her, laying his head on her shoulder and wrapping his arms tightly around her middle. She whisked her fingers through his hair minding his braids letting herself fall asleep to his gentle breathing.

"I love you Hiccup." She shuttered holding onto him as his grip on her tightened.

"I love you too Astrid."