To imagination-running: 1. You're welcome. I aim to be not that predictable ;). 2. You're welcome, I guess... You mean not like I did with "The Aftermath"? ;P But this was planned as a one-shot only. With its five chapters now it's already far longer than intended. And 3. You're welcome! ;)

. o O o .

Yes, they would face any danger together! Hiccup just hadn't thought of this as dangerous!

He took a deep breath and straightened his back. Now or never! He wished he could feel Astrid's hand in his right now, feel her reassuring warmth and presence but right now, that was not possible. They'd already broken a lot of rules, this they would do the right way! Even if it meant that she was with her oblivious parents right now while he had to break the news to his father.

"Dad?" He asked, voice a little higher than he liked. "Could we, uhm, talk for a moment?"

Stoick the Vast turned around to give his son a measuring look. Then he nodded toward the table and said: "Sure. Let's sit and talk. We haven't done that in ages since you kids are all busy with your Dragon's Edge. It's still standing?" Hiccup followed his father and sat down opposite of him, his hands fumbling about nervously.

"Yeah, it's still standing though only barely. The volcano keeps causing trouble but we'll find a solution. I hope so, at least…" Hiccup swallowed, eyes fixed on his entangled fingers. "Dad, I… wanted to-to ask you something. No, tell you something!" Stoick watched him carefully and Hiccup became even more nervous under his father's scrutinizing gaze. "It's… I-I want to… to, erm… Well, the thing is…" he stammered but the right words wouldn't come to him.

"Just spit it out, Hiccup!" Stoick prompted cheerily.

Hiccup gulped and nodded, though he wasn't completely sure whether to himself or his dad. "Right! It's… I've chosen my bride!"

The room fell eerily silent in an instant and even Stoick's mood seemed to have dampened noticeably. The only sound was Hiccup's rapidly beating heart and the pounding blood in his ears as his father gave him a grim look.

"Well, then I hope it's the right one," Stoick said calmly. "Because I chose one for you, too, and already paid a bride price!"

. o O o .

"Astrid, lass, are you alright?" Brenna Hofferson scrutinized her daughter, concern clear on her face. Astrid hadn't been able to sit still all day, not now while she ate dinner with her family, not earlier when they'd told their stories at the Great Hall and not even while riding Stormfly on their way here. Because she was nervous.

There was no reason to be nervous, Astrid knew that. But that knowledge didn't help. Her parents had nagged her on so many occasions about when she and Hiccup would finally announce their relationship. Surely, they wouldn't be against it now, would they? No, they wouldn't, Astrid was relatively sure of that.

But what about Stoick? Would he accept her as Hiccup's bride? Surely, it wouldn't come as a surprise to him either, would it? And he liked her, didn't he? Respected her as a warrior? Surely, that would be enough? Unless he wanted Hiccup involved in a political marriage, he would be Chief one day after all.

Astrid chewed her lip, her hand with the spoon in it pausing somewhere between the bowl of stew in front of her and her mouth. She wasn't hungry. She couldn't eat anything right now. They should be here any minute now, shouldn't they? Or shouldn't they be here already? How late was it? What if they didn't come? What if… what if Stoick wouldn't give his consent?

"Astrid?" waved her mother's stern voice through the haze of her worries.

"Uh, what?" Astrid blinked at her parents, both watching her with an unreadable expressing before sharing a glance that made Astrid uncomfortable.

"What's up with you, lass? I can't remember you not eating your dinner like… ever! Are you alright? You look a little pale, you're not getting sick, are you?" Brenna came over to touch her daughter's neck and forehead but Astrid brushed her caring hands aside.

"No, mom. I'm fine" she tried to reassure her mother. "Really! I'm just… tired! Yeah, tired. It was a long day" Astrid hesitated for a moment and then added: "Maybe I'll just go to bed early today. We'll talk tomorrow, alright?" She stood up and picked up her bowl of stew as well to put the untouched food back into the kettle. She had no intention to go to bed but she couldn't stand to just sit and wait here any longer either. She needed to sneak out and look for Hiccup, needed to talk to him, needed him to tell her that they would find a solution even if Stock should be against their relationship.

With shaky hands, she washed her bowl and reached up to place it back on its shelve when it knocked at the door.

CRASH!

"Shit!" Astrid cursed, loud and unashamed as she stared down at the shards on the ground.

"Tsk-tsk!" made Brenna and came to help her while Osmund went to open the door. "You have to do better than this from now on, Astrid" chided Brenna and threw her daughter a strange look. Astrid opened her mouth to ask what she meant but got interrupted when her father opened the door.

"Finally!" Oswald boomed, drowned out by Gobber's distinct and cheery voice.

"Now that's what I call fine language!" The blacksmith snickered as he stepped inside, a barrel of mead under his arm and winked at Astrid.

Astrid slumped down inwardly at Gobber's sight. He probably came to visit her father for a drink. Not what she'd been waiting for.

"Come in, come all in!" Her father beckoned to his other guests. Good! If her parents were busy it would be so much easier to climb out of her window.

. o O o .

A/N: You know me, I can't go without at least one (slightly) angsty cliffhanger...Last chapter tomorrow.