This is short, but should be really good. And end the third month of Belle's pregnancy, so next chapter starts a new and exciting month!
The sticky blood has coated her shirt. Asvor is doing her best to fix Astrid who is severely hurting.
The pain rises in a bubbling manner, it struck her so quickly she had no time to react. She was lying on a beach panting in pain. The urge to scream burned her throat and her eyes were brimming with tears. The broken bones were being pushed back into place by the skilled healers.
Astrid grits her teeth and hot tears roll down her face. Her head goes pale as she whimpers in pain. The sensation of her body breaking in half, like there is a gap in her middle comes again.
Her blood overflows from her wounds. What feels like knives in her body are being pushed back into place. "Aaagh!" Astrid screams at the pain.
Asvor pushes her back down on to the sand, "Sit or it will hurt more. Terri, get the brace I keep with me."
"You keep a brace with you!? Ow! How much longer will this be going!?" Astrid let out a moan as she completed her questions. Another rib being pushed into place.
"You were hurt badly Astrid. This is a lengthy process. It would hurt less if you let those tears flow." Asvor says as she applies pressure to a bone. Astrid nods and bites her lip to keep the screaming at bay. She finally slips up and let's the tears flow down more then she has ever cried before.
They soak her face and turn her cheeks red. "There you go sweetheart. You will be okay." Asvor comforts her. Astrid glares at the busy healer. "Don't call me sweetheart! And don't tell anyone I was crying!" She snaps.
Asvor ignores her and gives one look at Terri. The pain is unbearable for Astrid, but this will hurt more then ever.
Asvor in one motion pushes the broken rib back through her skin and into place as best as she can.
A scream so agonizing and ear splitting it makes you want to scream yourself, hits the air and floats through the fog which has set into the beach.
Astrid pants hard and screams again.
Isabella, who still awake at the time, winces at Astrid's cries of pain. She had seen the damage. It may be worse than childbirth.
Astrid looks at Asvor, "Is that it?" She says quietly, ashamed of her screams and tears. Asvor looks at Astrid then at Terri. "We need to set the brace." She says blankly.
"What brace!?" Astrid asks and grips the sand like it will protect her. Asvor picks up the brace she knows will always be needed.
"This is a metal brace you have to wear so it will align and protect your broken ribs. It is close enough to being like a metal foot, just more like a metal body. You are going to be restricted in this for a long while darling." Asvor says and opens up the piece. Astrid closes her eyes as Asvor and Terri in hinge and unclamp pieces until it's an unmotion less piece.
Terri rolls up Astrid's shirt even more and lifts her into a position to help put the brace on.
Asvor slides the piece under her so it meets Astrid's back, then aligns it to place and support the broken ribs carefully. She snaps it shut, closes the hinges and screws it in place with her hand.
Astrid feels her middle, she is useless and the brace hurts with the pressure being placed on the bones.
"H-how long do I have to wear this?" Astrid asks. Asvor lays her back down and wipes Astrid's face off with a cool, damp cloth. "Some amount of months. This will also help the shoulder that was pulled out of place. It may be that you will get this brace off after Isabella's baby is here. I don't know darling." Asvor says.
Astrid pounds her fist into the sand. "That's more then half a year! I'm going to be stuck and restricted like Hiccup for half a year!?" She screeches. Before Asvor or Terri can reply a familiar voice startles the villagers.
"What about me?" He asks Astrid.
I sit up, it's been hours of lying on this beach, an overnight battle with success. Now Hiccup will just have to tell me how much damage was caused...
My thoughts, so much stuff I need to tell them! But, not yet. I have to let Hiccup see Astrid and let the healers tend to everyone.
Hiccup ignores the questioning villagers and strides over to his wife. "Restricted like me? Are you saying I'm not capable of what you can do because I have a metal leg?" Astrid stops him there.
"Nothing Hiccup, I'm just saying I'm not like you. I should have been quick and agile enough to move before it grabbed me."
Hiccup stares at the helpless blonde woman laying on the sand. "I'm not quick or agile enough for you?" He asks her with the smallest glint of anger on his eyes.
Astrid could see the fury looming in those emerald green eyes specked with brown. She swallowed even though her throat and mouth were dry. "No, Hiccup. You are as agile as you can be. And that is perfect. It's just, I'm restricted now, for a long time." She says and stares up at his face. Her eyes drift over every inch of his body, that armor is too thick in her opinion.
"How are you restricted...?" Hiccup says and sits down next to Astrid.
She cautiously rolls up her shirt again. "I need to wear this for around half a year... It's basically a prosthetic stomach, and ribs, and almost chest..." Astrid runs her hand down the hinges and clasps holding her body trapped inside it.
Hiccup feels the brace and looks at the way it's built. "I remember this." He says and runs his hand on the bottom edge. "Remember? You needed a brace?" Astrid asks him.
"Yes, kind of. I built it, with the help of Gobber. And ironically two months later I fell pretty hard and needed it for a month. You never knew because I hid it with an extra shirt." He explains.
Astrid tries to hide a whimper when Hiccup presses a little too hard on her shoulder. "Sorry." He says and stands back up.
I jump up from my sleeping spot, wow. I didn't realize nearly a whole afternoon, evening, and night have gone by during the battle!
I have things and thoughts I need to say! And the plans I made, oh yes the plans need to be put into action!
Everyone is gathered near Astrid. I scurry through the people and run to them. Rye sees me and opens up his arms with a tired smile. "You are all okay! Oh I was worried about you! We need to have a wedding after the baby is born!" I say in a ramble. And before Rye can answer to me I am kissing him and running my hands down his back in happiness.
I let go and step over to Hiccup. He looks pleased to see me, happy that I'm okay. I don't even have time to open up my arms before he is squeezing me in a grip that even Stoick wouldn't compare to.
He releases me and I give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Hiccup! I have plans and ideas for you. We need to start getting things ready for the baby. I want a cradle to be made, and a room! The baby will sleep with me at first, actually, I think me and Rye should move in with each other! To practice being parents! And a couple! The baby and any other future children can have the big extra room. And I also want some toys for it, and I will need to work on clothing..." I rant.