Four: Friends and Family
The next morning, Astrid was up early, greeting her mother for her birthday and handing over a beautiful gold necklace and a designer Versace bag that her mother was blown away by. Astrid knew her mother had been eyeing the bag for ages but it was way beyond her husband's means…but not the means of her daughter. So she had presented the sumptuously gift-wrapped packages and had been rewarded by her mother's gasps of joy and seen the tears glimmer in her eyes. Astrid was especially pleased because she had gone out herself and bought the items-wearing an unflattering brown wig and glasses-instead of getting her support team to purchase them because she wanted them to be right.
"Thanks, Astrid," he mother said, hugging her tightly. "I am so proud of you, you know. And these are lovely." And then she pulled back and stared into her daughter's azure eyes-the exact mirror of her own. "But most lovely is having you here for my birthday." Astrid smiled.
"I wouldn't have missed it for anything!" she assured her mother. "And-even better news-I'm not making breakfast! Dad will be making it…"
"Oh, thank Thor," Ingrid Hofferson said with a grin. "So at least my birthday breakfast won't be flaming rock cakes…"
"Mom," she whined, flopping on the end of the bed. "Why does everyone remember that?" Ingrid leaned forward and ruffled her hair.
"Because it's the only thing that you aren't good at," she giggled and kissed her daughter. "Now stay away from the kitchen and go and do whatever you sporty types do to keep in shape." Hauling herself up, Astrid kissed her mother again and then sped downstairs, filling her water bottle and doing a short warm-up before heading out on a long run to maintain her fitness. She couldn't do any drills or practice but it was important just to make sure she worked off the pudding from the previous night. And as she thought about it while she stretched, her lips curved up in a smile as she recalled spending time with Hiccup and how sweet he had been. In fact, once they had got past the awkwardness, it had been just like old times...and that was the problem. Because she missed him…but there was no room in her life for hanging out, messing around and just being friends. Her life revolved around training, matches, media commitments, business commitments and maintaining her image…and there was no space for an admittedly cute bordering on hot, lanky, tall auburn-haired emerald-eyed dork.
So pulled her hair up into a ponytail, grabbed her water bottle and headed out for a run. It was a fine day, not especially warm but not raining or snowing or hailing-the usual variants of Berk weather-so she set out, got up to pace and headed along the route she used whenever she returned home to maintain her fitness and work off some energy. People waved at their famous daughter but left her to her run, a few pausing as she sped up the steep slope to the upper town and then round the edge and into the small forest that ran towards Raven Point and then round and back. On the way home, put in sprints to work herself harder and then she finally steamed down the hill to her parents's home, arriving red and sweating fourteen seconds under her previous best time.
She was just having a slow jog to cool down and doing some stretches when her phone buzzed and she smiled, seeing the name: HEATHER. Still jogging on the spot, she took the call.
"Hey, Bestie," she said, shaking her free hand keep loose.
"Where the Helheim have you been?" Heather's irritated voice snapped over the phone-but Astrid was used to her friend's directness.
"Berk. Where I come from. Remember it? Tiny island in the middle of nowhere, mostly uphill, people who still think it's the tenth century and everyone should run around wearing a helmet, waving an axe and yelling 'Argh!'"
"I know where Berk is," Heather said stiffly. "I mean why are you there?"
"Mom's 50th, remember?" Astrid rolled her eyes, switched hands and shook out her other arm. "And then we're off for international duty…"
"Honestly, why do I bother? Have you not checked your social media feed, Ast?"
"Why should I, Heather? I did the publicity for 'Team Astrid' before I flew in," she replied. "How's that going down?"
"Perfect," Heather admitted. "We've had fifteen thousand hits on the link 'Do you want to join the Team?' for Team Astrid in the first day! No-I meant the other social media feed…"
"Astrid?"
"Sorry, Heather-gotta go-Dad needs me! I'll speak to you tomorrow…"
"No-it's really important…"
"Bye!" Astrid said and trotted slowly towards the house where her father was standing by the door, grinning and holding a long cool glass of lemonade.
"Done?" he asked and she grinned, wiping her sweaty brow.
"I need a shower and then I can help set the Meade Hall up for Mom," she said as her father handed her the glass. She drained it in one and sighed. "Dad-your lemonade is the best in the Archipelago. I would almost move back to Berk just for the lemonade…" He smiled.
"Except you can't," he sighed. "Maybe one day, when you've done everything you want…but I know my daughter. You're a competitor and will do everything you can to be the best you can be. To follow that horizon and reach the highest point we can reach. To be the best you can possibly be. And I love you for it. So I'll make lemonade every time you visit, my love-because I am always here for you…no matter how things go and who stands by you…and who doesn't." And despite being sweaty and yucky, she flung a huge hug around him.
"Thanks, Dad," she said in a choked voice. "I wish I could get home more…" He hugged her back.
"You go out there and kill them for us," he said. "My beautiful, ferocious Valkyrie!"
oOo
The Great Hall was the largest venue in Berk, a huge Hall and private restaurant that could be hired out for parties, concerts and plays and was a shrine to the ancient Viking Past. There were massive columns rising to the very high roof around the periphery of the space with Viking paintings and shields and banners decorating the walls. And amid the homage to the past, thee were banners saying 'HAPPY 50TH INGRID!' and balloons all over the area. Black-Clad waiters spun with trays of champagne and sparkling water, while others handed round canapés: blinis with salmon and salmon mousse, caviar on mini water biscuits and melted cheese mini dough balls. A light buffet was placed to one side to keep the hungry guests snacked up until the main yak roast was served as a sit-down meal.
The room was busy with representatives of at least three generations all attending-friends of Ingrid's late mother, older relatives, siblings, friends and parents of Astrid's friends and her generation all in attendance. Ingrid-an older version of her daughter with elegantly coiffured jaw-length platinum blonde hair in a stunning gold dress was standing by Astrid, stunning in a knee-length single-strapped blood red silk dress with the 'Team Astrid' logo on the strap. Her golden hair framed her face and she was looking happy and relaxed as she laughed and joked with relatives.
"Astrid!" Her head snapped round and she smiled as her friends from school greeted her. Simon 'Snotlout' Jorgensen, Rachel 'Ruffnut' and Timothy 'Tuffnut' Thorston and Frederick 'Fishlegs' Ingerman crowded around their friend, bombarding her with questions, complimenting her on her stunning appearance and laughing and joking with her.
"I heard you were free, babe," Snotlout said, grinning cheerily. Stocky and even shorter than Astrid, Snotlout's regular broad face with blue eyes and black hair weren't unattractive but wrapped around a young man who was self-absorbed and over-confident to the extreme. Astrid smiled sweetly, her lips blush pink as she gently moved her left hand to demonstrate her Nan's ring.
"Not to you, Snot," she said firmly as Ruff pushed forward and hugged her.
"Thank Loki you're back," she said.
"I'm not back-just visiting," she corrected the female twin, who was wearing black dress pants, a white silk vest and a black tuxedo with her blonde hair in three fat braids as usual. The idiosyncratic ensemble was finished off with bright yellow converse.
"Whatever-you're here tonight!" Ruff told her and linked her arm with her friend. "Look-you have no idea how trying it is being the only girl left here. When you took off-and Heather three months later, I was literally the only option for these two. At least Tuff didn't hit on me-but only because he's my twin."
"And I could have gone my entire life without that mental image," Astrid sighed, squeezing her friend's arm. Said young man, Tuffnut, grinned. Almost a male version of his sister, his eyes were a a light hazel and his blond hair was in long dreadlocks but they shared the same long faces, lanky builds and dress sense-for he was in black pants, white shirt, black tux-and green converse.
"Me too," he said cheerfully. The twins were crazy and born pranksters but they had a reputation as the designers behind 'Eugene and Laverne' so they had an image to keep up. "If you want us to come and do over your apartment, we can do you Mates' Rates…" Thinking back to Hiccup's revelation about the stuffed shark, Astrid offered a strained smile.
"I'm not settled yet…so can I rain check until I have moved?" Tuff grinned.
"That's a promise," he said to her inward dismay. "But at least Fish and Ruff will let me play with their place in the meantime…" Jaw dropping, Astrid stared at the female twin.
"You and Fish?" she mouthed and Ruff grinned.
"Hey-he's a great guy," she said genuinely as the husky young man walked up, carrying drinks for himself and both the twins. Fishlegs was well built with surprisingly short legs, short blonde hair framing a round chubby face and blue-green eyes that were kindly. "He even puts up with Tuff's nonsense because he loves me and realises that I can't not have Tuff in my life. And he's sweet and stable and stops me doing some insanely impulsive stuff…" Astrid nudged her in the ribs.
"Is Ruffnut Thorsten actually becoming grown up?" she teased her and she chuckled.
"Maybe you and Fish are the only ones who would say that," she admitted.
"Ingrid lass-you look gorgeous," a familiar brogue boomed out and Astrid looked over to see the huge shape of Mayor Stoick Haddock kissing her mother on the cheeks, his massive flaming red beard famed in the whole of Berk, his green eyes twinkling. His frame was sheathed in a white Tux and shirt, black bow tie and dress pants and he shook Ivar Hofferson's hand enthusiastically because the two were close friends. At his side stood Gobber Belcher, his childhood friend who had lost his left hand and right foot in a freak mutton accident but was still a skilled blacksmith and mechanic. The man was almost Stoick's size, rounder in the belly with a bald head, long elaborately braided blonde moustache, a large prognathic chin and bright blue eyes and was sheathed in a tartan Tux and brown pants. Shaking her head at the insane ensemble, Astrid watched him greet Ingrid cheerfully, gifting her with free services for her car for a year. And behind him was…
Astrid pulled away from Ruff, her eyes fixed on the tall shape with the familiar auburn hair, his lean shape flattered by the single-breasted black tux and black pants-but she halted as she glimpsed the shape at his side, shorter than she was but fuller in the chest, clinging to Hiccup's arm possessively. The girl was pretty, with long, wild blonde hair and a sapphire maxi dress, her confidence total.
I have friends but…no one that special, no.
She blinked. She doubted Hiccup had lied to her but he had left out a crucial detail: that he seemed to have a girlfriend. Ruff punched her arm.
"I see you noticed the Limpet," she said as she followed Astrid's gaze. "Arabella Harsem. She's been hanging around Hiccup since Sophomore Year. She doesn't like him talking to any other women-possibly even your Mom! I don't think he's happy but he's grateful to her for being his girlfriend so he puts up with her jealousy and her picking at him."
"It's not nice to see," Fishlegs said quietly, "but she does make sure that most sentences include an overt or hint of a criticism of something he's done. She doesn't want him believing he is worth enough to want to leave her."
"She's gonna hate you," Tuff said cheerfully. "You're like a much better version of her!"
"Or she's an inferior version of you," Fishlegs commented with insight. Astrid flicked a look at him and then surged forward, a wide smile plastered over her face.
"Hiccup!" she greeted him and his head snapped round, a goofy smile lighting his face.
"Astrid!" he grinned as she pecked a kiss on his cheek. "You look…amazing!"
"So do you!" she replied, gesturing to his shape. "I would never have realised you'd tidy up so well!"
"A-hem!" Astrid found herself elbowed backwards as a determined blonde shape pushed between her and Hiccup, an arm possessively linked through his. Blue eyes narrowed as the girl glared at Astrid-but the Soccer Captain was more than capable of taking care of herself.
"Sorry-who are you?" Astrid asked her sharply, glaring back. The girl's eyes widened, not used to being challenged-and then she adopted a sickly-sweet smile.
"I'm sorry-we haven't been introduced," she said. "You know Hiccup-always a bit thoughtless and distractible! I'm Arabella-his girlfriend. And you are?" Astrid looked down on her, ignoring the calculated insult-because there wasn't a person on Berk who didn't recognise the famous soccer player.
"Astrid-Hiccup's oldest friend," she retorted, her hackles rising.
"Really? Because I've been with Hiccup for three years now and he hasn't mentioned you or spoken to you or seen you at all during that time!" Arabella riposted in a slightly sneering voice.
And how would you know that if you hadn't been watching every move he makes? Astrid asked herself silently, eyes flicking briefly to Hiccup. The smile had gone from his eyes and his face was guarded and a little unhappy.
"Well, I'm back on Berk now and catching up with my old friends," she said and smiled at Hiccup, wanting to see those emerald eyes light with the happiness . "And Hiccup was my best friend throughout my entire school life…"
"And he's my best friend now," Arabella interrupted.
"It's like two dogs fighting over a bone," Tuffnut murmured.
"And the bone looks terrified," Ruff added. Snotlout chugged his beer and laughed.
"Boy-how come my fishbone cousin has two gorgeous blondes fighting over him-when all this awesome Vikingness is still available?" he protested and then unwisely swaggered forward. "Hey babes-no need to fight-there is more than enough manliness to go round…"
"SHUT UP, SNOTLOUT!" both Astrid and Arabella said in unison. Blinking, the stocky young man backed up a step.
"Wow-someone's edgy!" he snarked back. "Bella-is Hiccup not cutting the mustard? Because I…"
"Please-I'm happy to see you both!" Hiccup interjected, stepping between the two blondes, who were almost squaring up against each other. "Bella-Astrid is one of my oldest friends-and though we lost touch, I am really happy to catch up with her. Astrid-this is Bella Harsem, my…girlfriend." Neither women missed the slight hesitation and Astrid gave a brilliant smile.
"And I'm pleased to meet you," she said clearly. "I didn't realise-since Hiccup didn't mention a word about you when we met up…" Behind Bella, Hiccup's eyes widened and he shook his head urgently-but turned it into a wary smile as Arabella turned to glare to him.
"You met with her?" she asked in a freezing voice. "How come I knew nothing about it?" Hiccup gave a nervous smile.
"I-er-I was just meeting with an old friend, Bella," he said hurriedly. "I didn't think you would be interested…" She arched an eyebrow.
"I'm interested in everything you do," she said in a steely voice and Astrid thought she imagined the flinch.
"Sorry," he said quickly. "It won't happen again…"
Astrid's phone rang but as it was in her purse, she didn't want to leave the situation to answer it.
"Are you okay?" she mouthed to the auburn-haired man and he nodded.
"I'm fine," he replied as Arabella linked her arms with his again.
"Nothing for you to worry about," she snapped.
"May I have your attention!" Ivar Hofferson's boomed out over the PA and everyone turned to inspect him. He was standing with a broad and proud grin, his arm around Ingrid and his eyes swept the room, before beckoning Astrid to come up. Reluctantly, flashing Hiccup an apologetic smile, she walked to stand on her father's other side.
"First, I want to thank all of you for coming and I cannot say how happy we are to have all our friends and family around the celebrate Ingrid's half-century!" he announced. "I am truly blessed to have shared the best part of my life with her and I still treasure every day at her side as much as the first." He had to pause as there was an outbreak of applause. "And we have a beautiful, talented and brilliant daughter that all of you know. Astrid is not only a great daughter but is the Pride of Berk!" There was another, equally loud outbreak of applause-and Astrid couldn't help noticing that Hiccup was clapping enthusiastically at her announcement while Arabella was pointedly not clapping at all.
"Definitely the Pride of Berk!" Stoick called.
"And Ingrid and I are so happy to celebrate this day with our daughter, who has taken time out of her busy schedule to be here. But before the champagne comes round for the toast, I have one unexpected-but very welcome announcement…and it concerns my daughter." Astrid frowned and looked towards her father. "Like all fathers, I worry about the future for my daughter and want her to be happy and settled. And news reached me today of a secret that my daughter has been keeping-but which I am happy to announce to you…" Eyes wide with concern, Astrid leaned close to him.
"Dad…" she murmured.
"You should have told me," Ivar whispered back. "Though of course I would have approved." And then he turned to the guests. "So I am proud and delighted to announce the engagement of my daughter, Astrid, to her childhood sweetheart, Hiccup Haddock!"
