Did Anybody See That? Chapter 12
A/N
By popular demand, I am re-opening this book. Enough people asked for an epilogue or a sequel that I feel obligated to appease you. ;-) I'm not sure if my plans for the rest of this story should be called a sequel or an epilogue, but it will run for a few more chapters, at least.
o
Stoick the Vast knocked on the Hoffersons' door the next morning. Edda answered the door and invited him in – somewhat nervously, it seemed to him. She was cleaning up after breakfast; her husband, Gunnarr, was getting ready for another busy day in the butcher shop. They weren't accustomed to visits from the chief. Her first thought was to worry that one of their sons had gotten into some kind of trouble.
"I would like to speak to you privately, Gunnarr. Is that possible?"
"Yes, Stoick. Is there some problem?"
"No, not at all." He waited; Gunnarr gestured for Edda to find something to do elsewhere.
"I'll run down to the tanner's and see if your new apron is ready, Gunnarr." She stepped outside, but paused and listened at the door. Her husband could talk quietly, but Stoick couldn't keep his voice down if his life depended on it. Whatever the problem was, she felt like she had a right to know.
She heard the chief say, "Gunnarr, has anyone approached you about, uhh, about arranging a marriage for your oldest daughter?" Edda did the world's fastest job of putting two and two together, let out a whoop of delight, and almost skipped to the tanner's. Her daughter and the chief's son, engaged! Astrid would be marrying into the chief's family! Oh, the prestige! Oh, the honor! Oh, the money! It was a match made in Asgard!
It took Stoick and Gunnarr about an hour to work out the details of the contract. Bride-price, dowry, and morning-gift had to be settled; the date had to be set; other details had to be ironed out. It took another twenty minutes to find witnesses and recite the contract in their presence. They clasped hands, and it was done. Stoick was sure that, when his son came home from the forge that evening, he would greet the news joyously. It was no secret that Hiccup and Astrid spent a lot of time together; this would make it permanent for them, and it would be good for both families.
In fact, when Hiccup banked the fires for the night and left the forge, he was rather depressed. He'd gotten distracted while mending Mr. Hofferson's favorite meat cleaver, and managed to ruin it, just as its owner stopped by to see how the work was progressing. He'd had to make a brand-new one from scratch, and while the finished product would be excellent, it would also be a day later than he'd promised. That would have bothered him with any customer, but especially with the father of the girl he hoped to marry. He wanted to make a better impression on Mr. Hofferson than that. He'd also had to agree to pay the butcher something for the loss of his favorite tool, replacement or no replacement.
He returned to his house feeling somewhat downcast. When his father greeted him with a huge smile, he had no idea what to make of it, except that it probably wouldn't be good for him, because very few things in this village were good for him.
"Son, I've got exciting news!" Stoick began.
"Oh, really?" There was no use pretending to be excited; his dad never paid attention to his moods anyway.
"I've been talking to Mr. Hofferson, you see."
"That figures," Hiccup nodded. "He must be pretty disappointed."
"No, I think he was quite happy about it, actually. I've got it all worked out."
"I hope he didn't charge us too much," Hiccup said nervously. This conversation was edging into the surreal.
"Now, don't you worry about that, Hiccup. I paid it all for you. It's all settled, down to the last copper."
"Thanks, Dad. Maybe you could tell him I feel really bad about this..."
"You... you do?" Stoick was baffled by that.
"Yeah, and I promise it won't happen again..."
"I certainly hope not!" the chief exclaimed.
"... and if it does, I'll keep making him new ones until I come up with one that's just like his first one."
Stoick looked perplexed. "Hiccup, he and his wife might not like the sound of that. How, exactly, are you planning to make him a new daughter?"
"A new what?" Okay, this just hit the limits of the surreal and dove off the edge. "Who said anything about a daughter?"
"Isn't that what we're talking about?" Now it was Stoick's turn to be completely confused.
"No, I was talking about his meat cleaver that I ruined in the forge today. I really feel bad about it, and..." He got no further before his father began to laugh and couldn't stop. Hiccup added a few nervous giggles, but he had no idea what was so funny. He hadn't heard his father laugh like that since...
...since that awful night when he'd inadvertently brought down the Monstrous Nightmare.
Suddenly, his father's uncontrolled laughter seemed like a portent of impending disaster.
His own attempts at laughter stopped. He'd wait patiently until his father could stop laughing. Then he'd find out what calamity he'd brought upon himself this time. Would it be worse than last time, when he'd gotten charged with treason and had to flee the village to avoid exile? Could it be worse?
"A meat cleaver!" Stoick howled. "A meat cleaver!" He finally brought himself under control.
"Son, I wasn't talking about a meat cleaver! I was talking about your engagement!"
"My what?" If this conversation took one more wild turn, it was going to get lost in the woods and would never be found again.
"Your engagement to his daughter, Astrid! That's what I talked to him about! It's all arranged! Congratulations, son – you're engaged!"
Hiccup stared at him blankly. It was as though there was a wall in his head that wouldn't let good news through, and his father's words had hit that wall and stopped before he could really hear them. Could it really be that easy? After all his failures and mistakes and calamities and disasters, was it possible that something that important could go right?
"Well, son, what do you think?" His father was almost pathetically eager for his approval.
"I... I... thanks, Dad! That's the best news I've had all year! Thanks!"
"Ha ha! I knew you'd approve!" The big man siezed his son's much smaller hand and shook it so vigorously, he nearly dislocated every joint in Hiccup's arm. His mood suddenly turned sober. "This is your first big step toward adulthood, Hiccup! No more mooning around in the sky all day on a dragon, now. And no more silly mistakes in the forge. You're going to have responsibilities. It's time to grow up, son."
"Yeah, Dad. It sure is." A sudden thought hit him. "Does she know about this yet?"
"I suppose she'll find out about it from her father when she gets home," Stoick said.
"I'd like to tell her, if I could."
"Son, tread carefully," his father warned him. "Now that you're engaged, you're not supposed to be alone with her at any time. That's how trouble starts, and that's how rumors start. You're the chief's son; everyone's eyes will be on you. Don't make me ashamed of you."
He almost said, "Don't worry, Dad, you won't be ashamed." But he had a long, well-established history of making his father ashamed. Instead, he said, "I won't be alone with her," as he ran out the door.
He figured she'd be in the woods, practicing with her axe the way she always did when her chores were done. He knew pretty much where she would be. But, with his father's warning fresh in his ears, he didn't dare go into the woods to find her. Instead, he waited on the path that led into the forest, making sure he was in plain view to anyone who might walk by or glance in his direction. He waited.
Waiting was hard.
He felt like an hour went by, but it was barely ten minutes before she walked jauntily up the path, her axe on her shoulder. She'd had a good workout and she was in a good mood. Her face lit up even more when she saw Hiccup.
"Astrid, hi! Hi, Astrid! Uhh, did you hear any interesting news today?"
"No. Did you?"
"Yes, kind of. Well, yes, really. Really interesting news."
"Well?" she demanded. "Tell me!"
"It's... kind of awkward. I hate to tell you this out here in public."
"No problem; the woods are two minutes away," she said. "We'll take a quick walk and you can tell me there."
"That's part of the problem," he stammered. "I can't go in there with you. We're not supposed to be alone together."
"Why not? We've been alone together lots of times! The only people who aren't supposed to be alone together are..." Her face suddenly lit up in the biggest smile he'd ever seen on her. "Hiccup, are we... did your dad... my dad... are we...?"
He grinned and nodded. "That's right. I ruined your dad's meat cleaver!"
"Huh?" Her smile vanished. It returned as he described the scene in his father's house, and she was laughing out loud before he was done.
"Oh, Hiccup, I can't believe it! They're letting me marry you! I thought we'd have to elope or something! We can go with our parents' blessing, and..." Then she turned somber. "That means I'll have to wear a white dress and a bridal crown and all that other girly-stuff, and go through all those traditions and ceremonies..."
"It's just for a day," Hiccup said. "I'm sure you can endure it."
"I suppose," she nodded. "After all, it's just a wedding ceremony. And a reception."
"And a wedding night," Hiccup added glumly.
"Well, there's not much wrong with... oh. That."
When a chief's son marries, the consummation of their marriage has to take place in front of witnesses from both families.
That thought took all the joy out of both of them.
o
A/N
The confusion between the girl and the meat cleaver was definitely inspired by a similar scene in Fiddler on the Roof, in which the groom and the father of the bride get confused between the girl and a milk cow.