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Chapter 3

The sun was barely over the horizon and the dragon stables were empty. Astrid had agreed to meet Eret there for an early start on dragon training. However, other things had gotten in the way. They'd stumbled into the cozy dark loft and collapsed into the hay. Eret's adept hands worked her out of her clothes and she pulled at his shirt.

This was insane. She shouldn't be doing this. But she wanted it. She wanted to climb that mounting and feel the wind rush past as she fell down the other side.

His erection was jabbing through his pants and he wasted no time with formalities. She fumbled with his pants and pushed them down his legs. With that same adeptness he pulled her pants down her legs. His experience excited her. He knew exactly what he was doing and wasn't shy about it. He wanted to prove his skills.

With their clothes discarded he pushed her down into the hay. He rarely kissed her, and that was fine with her, but when he did his lips were rough. He shoved his tongue passed her lips and fought with hers. She buried her hands in his hair and pulled it, ushering growls from the back of his throat that stirred the fire between her legs.

She wrapped her legs around his toned waist and pulled him closer. He moaned as he thrust himself inside her. She gasped, tightening her fists in his hair. His rhythm was easy to find and return. He moaned against her neck as he neared the edge. He nipped at her skin and softly bit at her neck. With every thrust his moans became more determined and ragged. She was close, but he finished first, and in a shattering groan he withdrew himself from her.

He collapsed next to her, catching his breath, sweat shimmering on his collarbone.

In the cool air of the stables that wouldn't last long. Astrid readjusted herself, crossing her legs and propping up on one elbow to look at him.

"Eret, what is this to you?" Astrid asked.

"What is what?" Eret asked blankly.

She glared at him.

"What is it to you?" Eret asked with a raised brow.

"You know that we can't be together." Astrid stated flatly. "I'm engaged. To the Chief."

"I'm aware of that." Eret nodded.

Astrid glared at him.

"I'm used to these…fly-by-night kind of hook-ups." Eret explained. "Seaport woman, tavern wenches, whores…I know how his sort of thing goes. Besides, I'm not the marrying type. You, on the other hand, are. But, all types enjoy a rousing roll in the hay."

Astrid wrinkled her nose at his deliberate choice of words. "Sex is all this can ever be."

"I'm alright with that. If you are, that is." Eret nodded.

Astrid sighed. She didn't need to convince herself that sex was all it was an would be. It was true.

"Right, you up for a second round?" Eret asked.

Astrid laughed, "With that?"

She motioned to his now flaccid manhood. Eret followed her gaze and shrugged. "Eh, it'll be back."

Eret leaned over and kissed her. He shifted his weight and pushed her back down into the hay. He left a trail of hot kisses down her cheek and across her neck, lingering on her pulse, biting it softly. A hand wondered over her chest and grasped onto a breast, messaging it between his fingers, rubbing along the hardened center with his thumb.

Astrid moaned into his touch and arched her back. He took the invite and kissed his way down to the other breast and latched onto the center, using his tongue instead his thumb, gently pulling it behind his teeth. The dual stimulation sent shockwaves through her stomach and down her legs, settling between them in a low simmer, and burnt through her sensitive flesh. She dug her nails into the muscles on his arms.

His hand left her breast with a squeeze and traveled south. He slid his fingers through the wetness, sliding one inside her, and moved it about. Astrid gasped as his thumb brushed against that spot. She dug her nails deeper into his skin and didn't care that she would leave marks. He could find an excuse.

Eret kissed his way down from her breast to join his hand. He lifted her legs to his shoulders and placed a hot kiss directly where his thumb had been. He added a finger inside her and she grasped at the hay underneath her. He pulled her spot into his mouth, licking and biting and doing whatever else, Astrid arched her back and he was forced to hold her down by the hips.

His fingers were moving about, in and out, and all around while his mouth was working magic. She felt it pulling closer and closer, burning through her skin, until it exploded and left her gasping for air. He withdrew his fingers and his mouth and positioned himself back over her with a coy smirk.

"I told you it'd come back," Eret smirked. He motioned to his returned erection, back and ready for more. He leaned down and thrust himself back inside of her.

Astrid, possessed by a notion she didn't understand, pushed herself up onto her elbows, and kissed him. She wanted to know what it tasted like. Eret returned it, assaulting her tongue with his. She pushed on his shoulder. Without breaking lip contact, Eret yielded and lied on his back while Astrid mounted him. His hands wondered over her hips and thighs as she worked him, feeling her own end returning.

The fire burst again but she wouldn't stop until she'd had him. His ragged moans intensified and at last exploded. He tapped her legs and she removed herself before he could spill inside of her. That was something that neither of them needed. Astrid collapsed back into the hay beside him.

"You're getting better, you know." Eret said.

"What?"

"I mean, the first time you were alright. But this time was better. You'll be an expert in no time." Eret smiled.

"Yeah, and if nothing else gives me away it'll be my mysteriously obtained sexual abilities."

"Those are the best."

"Come on, we need to train. Or at least be seen trying to train. Seriously, get dressed."

X

"Oh, men don't notice anything," Ingrid said as she held up the two opposing ribbons. One was cream and the other was ivory. To Astrid, they looked identical but to Ingrid there seemed to be a world of difference. "But women, oh, women will notice everything, especially ribbons."

Ingrid and Valka had taken it upon themselves to put together Astrid's wedding dress. They'd planned and stocked fabric from Trader Johann and today was the first of many pin-pricking afternoons. Astrid stood on a stool in the middle of the room and wore nothing but her undergarments. They'd stroked the fire to keep her from getting a chill.

Valka was taking measurements while Ingrid fussed over the fabric.

"This one is vice, soft and lovely, perfect for a bride." Ingrid said as she slid her fingers across the material. "This one is durable and strong, good for a bodice. This one would make beautiful details, it's so sheer! Although, sheer is a bit more wedding-night than blushing bride."

Ingrid smiled and Valka returned it kindly.

Ingrid began to throw a fabric onto her, a little haphazardly, and Valka helped her pin it in place. Astrid held her breath and waited for the pin pricks but they never came. Both older women were more adept at needlework that she'd given them credit for. She'd never seen Valka sew and her own mother didn't unless she had to. Astrid herself wasn't very good at it.

"Oh, I remember my dress." Ingrid said. "It wasn't very fancy. My wedding was simple. But, oh, I remember yours, Valka. It was lovely."

Valka smiled, and Astrid was sure she saw a light blush come across her cheeks.

"Of course, it's not every day that the chief gets married." Ingrid said, finally poking Astrid with the tip of a pin, making her jump. "Oh, sorry, dear."

The material was pinned and cut while Ingrid reminisced about her wedding, and about every wedding she'd been to since, including Valka's, who would occasionally add a simple comment. The dress didn't look anything like a wedding dress. It was more of a white sack they'd thrown over her.

"That's a lovely shape," Valka said as she adjusted a few pins.

"I'd say." Ingrid agreed, stepping back to admire their work.

"Oh, Astrid, you'll make a lovely bride." Valka said with a smile.

"There is something beautiful about a blushing bride." Ingrid sighed, cocking her head to look at her daughter.

Astrid smiled, feeling the blush involuntary spread across her face. There was nothing 'blushing' about her wedding. Far from it. But she wasn't going to tell anyone that. She would take it to her grave.

"Alright, let's get to the serious work." Ingrid said and grabbed the needle and thread from the sewing box. She bit her lip as she pulled on the pinned material and pushed the needle through.

Astrid felt the dozens of sharp needles that held her dress together shift and she held her breath to keep from provoking their points.

X

Astrid inhaled. The world around her was too busy and noisy and crowded. She closed her eyes and for a brief moment it was gone, hidden behind an imaginary wall, but that wall was shattered when her mother grabbed her arm, thrusting her attention to the current miniscule detail.

"These flowers are too purple. No, no, you are more of a red, dear. Trust me, I know colors."

Whatever you say, Mother. Astrid sighed, letting her mother make these tiny decisions. She nodded obediently, "Yes, I agree."

Valka was much more subdued about the entire wedding. The food was taken care of and the mead had been stored. The invitations to neighboring tribes had been sent and excited answers received. The dress was nearly finished. So far, Astrid hadn't made many of the wedding's decisions. It had been her mother who'd fussed over them. She discussed them with Valka who seemed to be as interested as Astrid.

By the afternoon hour Astrid was drug back to the house for what she hoped would be her last dress fitting. She stood on the stool while Valka and her mother made the last details, seemingly as important as the color of the flowers. She stood perfectly still, trying to ignore their wedding themed conversation, and focus instead on the silence she desperately wanted to hear.

If she pretended hard enough she could hear it. It rang inside her ears, thumping on the drums, beating against her brain.

She was snapped back to the fitting when her mother slapped her rear, saying something, and dropping a handful of pins back into their box.

"Are we done?" Astrid asked.

"Yes, that's what I said." Ingrid shook her head.

Valka undid the laces on the back of the bodice and helped her out of the dress. She didn't wait around for them to think of something else to do. She dressed as quickly as she could and left the house that felt too small. Outside she took a deep breath of the crisp air, feeling the coolness draining the heat from her face, the decrease of noise was refreshing.

The wedding was in a week. Up until recently she hadn't been worried about it. But it has been nonstop for the past several days, this and that, flowers, and food, and one thing after another. Everyone wants to pass their worries onto the bride so she can worry about it instead of them.

Is this what it's like for Hiccup? Astrid thought as she met Stormfly around the house's corner. She'd been waiting patiently through these strenuous days. She nuzzled Astrid and chirped into her shirt. She looked up at Astrid with curious eyes, wings ready, nodding toward the sky.

"I know, girl. We're already late. Let's get out of here before someone else wants to ask me something." Astrid climbed onto the saddle and gave Stormfly the gentle prod of her heel, and she wasted no time to race the wind to the clouds.

She flew without a path for some time. She relished the freedom. There was no one up here to nag and bug and bother her about nonsensical little things. They can worry without her for a while. She trailed her fingers along the clouds as they soared above the world. The wind ate any other sound and left her surrounded by a blissful white noise.

Astrid gradually made her way to the small grouping of islands. She couldn't see the cavern's mouth from the sky but she knew where it was. The rock jutted from the ground like a dull dagger. She and Stormfly circled it and landed. Instantly she missed the roar of wind. She looked skyward, giving the sky a quick scan, and upon seeing it empty she dismounted.

"Come on, girl." Astrid gently tugged on her horn, leading toward the cavern.

A fire had already been lit inside. It doused the gray walls with red and yellow. Eret was lounging beside it and Skullcrusher was snoozing against the opposite wall, face tucked away from the firelight. Stormfly chirped and walked over to curl next to Skullcrusher.

"Well, someone is late." Eret cocked his grin.

"That's not funny." Astrid crossed her arms. "How long have you been here?"

"Oh, not very long, maybe half an hour. Took that long to find wood for his damn fire. Notice how there no trees out there? Yeah, I had to go find that tree." Eret pointed to the burning logs. "Which was easy considering I'm surrounded by water."

Astrid groaned. His voice was poking that headache that she'd flown away to escape. "Stop talking, I'm already tried of your voice."

Eret's grin widened as she shucked her shoulders free and kicked off her boots. He stood and had pulled his shirt off by the time he'd come to this feet. Astrid wiggled her shirt free from her skirt. She maneuvered her arms to pull it over her head when Eret's cold hands pressed against her waist. He slide his hands upward and pulled the shirt with them. She spun and grabbed for his belt, undoing it with learned fingers, and pulled at the string of his pants.

This affair of theirs had trickled on over the past few months. Secret meetings and hushed rendezvous had scattered their schedules. Through their endeavors, Astrid was certain that sex was all it was. Eret was intelligent but he was an arrogant idiot. He was brave but he was rash and reckless. He was ambitious but he was lazy. He was used to being the smarted among his dull-minded crew and didn't know how to handle someone smarter than him.

"You know what I like about you?" Eret had asked her once, after one of their midday twists, "You're smart. I can talk to you and you will respond."

Astrid was exhausted. She was tired of being poked for quick answers and decisions. She let Eret push her onto her hands and knees. He could make these decisions. He could have the responsibility. He thrust himself into her and held onto her hips. He worked his rhythm against her, groaning with each thrust, digging his fingers into her hipbones.

She came, and could feel it growing again as Eret gave his last gasping moan and slowed. He pulled himself out and pulled her with him to the ground. She collapsed beside him and let the fire evaporate the sweat off their skin. For a minute or two the only sound was breathing, their and the napping dragons.

"So how's the wedding plans coming?" Eret asked casually.

"Fine. My dress is almost done." Astrid said.

"That's good. Is it nice?"

"Yeah." Astrid sighed. "I should be getting back before someone comes looking for me. This," she motioned to their nakedness sprawled beside the fire, "would be beyond difficult to explain."

X

The morning of the wedding was beautiful. The weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky, a low wind, and a warmth on the breeze that was as rare to Berk as dragons were common. Ingrid, Valka, and a few other women from the village woke her early. After being scrubbed, combed, pulled, prodded, perfumed, and finally dressed, Ingrid insisted on adding makeup to her face. She lined her eyes and added red to her lips.

The day was full of celebration. The entire village took part. They ate and drank to their body's limits and danced and enjoyed the time. Hiccup and Astrid were married at the top of the Great Hall steps, in view of the entire village, many of which chose to watch from the sky on their dragons.

They laced their fingers together and Gothi bound them with a white ribbon. She placed her boney hand on theirs. Hiccup caught her eye. He had been dressed up for the wedding, too, and he looked as handsome has he ever did. Astrid squeezed his hand and he returned it.

They were wed and the entire village shouted with mighty cheers that roared far passed the clouds. Gothi smiled and Gobber shed a tear. He stood beside Valka who looked as proud as any parent. Hiccup leaned in to kiss her and she met him halfway, taking his tender lips with hers, savoring the moment.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too."

That evening Astrid could finally call Hiccup's house her own. His bed was their bed. His hearth was their hearth. What was his was now hers. What was hers was now his. Their lives are shared, intertwined, forever connected. Everything was theirs. Valka spent the night away and the house was completely theirs.

Hiccup undid the laces on her back, pulling them away from her skin one by one, deliberately slow. He teased her shoulders with his fingertips as he slid the dress from her shoulders. He pushed it down her arms and down her hips, letting it fall to the floor. She turned around, marriage night shyness renewed, with her hands over her breasts.

Hiccup unbuckled and untied and removed his formal shirt and chiefly furs and metals. He's worked up lithe muscles that buffed across his narrow torso and lined his thin arms. Leaning in for a kiss, he placed his hands on either side of her waist, and fingered the edge of her underwear. He stepped closer. She placed her hands on his chest.

She loved Hiccup. That was never in doubt. She didn't mind that the entire village knew what they were doing, or about to do, because as far as anyone knew this was the first time. They fell into their bed, the same bed that they would sleep in and wake up in, always next to each other.

Sexually, Hiccup was inexperienced. Astrid pushed him a little every time. She wanted him to get better but didn't want him to ask too many questions. She let him take control, to have her as he wanted, as her husband. With Hiccup she wanted to wrap her arms around him as he made love to her, reaching up to kiss him occasionally, keeping close to catch his moans on her lips.

X

I worked out the outline to this story and I'm a little stuck on the ending. I'm thinking, however, that I'll make several endings and post them all, like a multiple-ending story. What do you all think about that?