CHAPTER 3 – The Return
"What do you mean they're coming to the wedding?" shouted Astrid, her cheeks flushed with adrenaline.
"It can't do any harm! Perhaps you'll even get a chance to apologize to the queen! After the way you acted, why, I've never been so ashamed in my life!" her mother shot back, furiously pounding an innocent lump of dough into the countertop. Astrid gasped in anger and exasperation. "Why don't you understand? Why doesn't anyone understand? This wasn't supposed to happen!"
Her mother slapped her hands together, letting off a cloud of flour dust, and placed them sarcastically on her hips. "Oh really? I didn't notice!"
The woman's daughter could practically feel her blood boiling in her veins. The two females have been senselessly fighting over a thousand different things for at least an hour now, but neither had surrendered.
Until now. Astrid's lips formed words, and her brain whirred with suggestions of a thousand things to say, but nothing came out. Then the odd depressing sensation of one's fury draining, causing one to feel like a deflated balloon, overwhelmed Astrid.
The most peculiar thing occurred. Miss Astrid Hofferson let out the quietest sob you have ever heard. Inaudible to the untrained ear. But her mother heard it. And when their eyes met, it was as if the floodgates had opened; and all hell broke loose. After what seemed like three or four hours of ceaseless consoling (on her mother's part), Astrid finally managed to blubber out a garbled string of words only her birth parent could understand. Her mother nodded sympathetically. "I know sweetie. He's coming home soon."
Meanwhile…
"So…she kissed you first?" asked Snotlout, as he rose on Hookfang, who, along with the other dragons, was pulling the boats of cargo. "Yes," said Hiccup, getting a little tired of this conversation, "I told you this already."
"In front of the whole town?"
"Yes! I'm surprised you didn't see it!" the chief replied shortly, brushing some wind-blown hair out of his eyes.
Snotlout shrugged. Hiccup smirked. "But that wasn't the first time," he continued, glancing mysteriously away from the other young men, including Eret, who were intently listening to the private conversation. Snotlout's eyes widened, "What do you mean?" "Well, she kissed me before that," Hiccup explained, "on the cheek." His cousin's brow furrowed. "When?" he asked.
Hiccup coughed, "Um, yeah, well, after she saw Toothless and we discovered the nest together…"
Snotlout laughed, "Why would she kiss you after you just took her on the most terrifying trip of her life?" The other men sniggered to themselves.
"Because it wasn't terrifying. Not in the beginning. Or…wait...well, there was a middle bit, after Toothless quit spinning, and before we found the nest," Hiccup said defensively. Snotlout raised his eyebrows. "And?" "Well, it was really nice. And romantic, I guess. In a way," said Hiccup. Tuffnut hooted, hanging upside down from Belch's head, "I should try that! A romantic flight! If it could make Astrid fall in love with Hiccup, then it'll work for me!"
The men doubled up laughing, all the while trying very hard not to fall off their dragons. Hiccup gave them all a sanctified glower. "Hey," said Fishlegs, straightening, "I think I see Berk!" The young chief squinted through the clouds. Sure enough, the familiar rocky outline of their home loomed in the distance.
"Alright everybody, I'm gonna just ride up ahead and tell everyone we're home so they can ready their hands for carrying and their hearts for welcoming!" Hiccup declared loudly, so even those on the boats could hear. "Okay!" cried Snotlout, giving him a mock salute. His leader sarcastically returned the gesture, and then cut the ropes tying him to their boat and shot off into the sky.
Meanwhile…
"Astrid, Astrid!" exclaimed Ruffnut, barging past Stormfly, and skidding into the girl's home. Thankfully, by then, Astrid had gotten over her break down, and was found twirling her axe in the living room. "Guess what!" the twin cried, jumping up and down in a very un-Ruffnut-like manner. Astrid raising her eyebrows, tossing her axe to her other hand.
"I think Hiccup's back! I just saw a black dragon headed towards Berk and—" The poor girl did not even get a chance to finish her sentence before Astrid raced out the door. Nothing could have possibly been more beautiful to her than the wonderful sight of that Nightfury darting through the clouds. Coming home…to her.
"I hope he kisses you," Ruffnut snickered, coming up behind Astrid, and giving her a punch in the arm. The assaulted tore her eyes from the skies briefly to give her friend a confused look. "I like watching you swoon," Ruff explained, giggling. "It fascinates me." Astrid reddened, slightly mortified. "Ah, don't even bother," the teaser said, hooking their arms amicably, "you'll have a lot more to blush about once you're married." Ruffnut grinned in an evil, yet friendly sort of way. Luckily, Hiccup's arrival allowed the amusing girl to evade immediate painful punishment. Nothing, not even a chance to beat up Ruffnut, would stop Astrid from running to her man now.
"Hiccup!" she cried, breathlessly, her boots pounding on the earth as she climbed the grassy hill closest to the sky. "Astrid!" he shouted back, laughing, urging Toothless to fly faster.
At last he reached the hill and dismounted, and at last she reached the top, and at last they collided.
What happened thereafter can be qualified as an abrupt tackle to the ground, which was followed by a massive embrace a.k.a. jumble of limbs. "You have no idea how much I missed you," Astrid sighed, grinning, as they attempted to get up simultaneously, which did not work out too well. Eventually they managed to erect themselves, laughing happily.
"Hey!" Ruffnut said, approaching the couple, "where's my kiss?" Hiccup stepped backwards quickly, not entirely sure what she meant by that. "Not for her, silly," Astrid chuckled, pulling him close to her again, "for me."
"Oh!" he said, relieved and…vaguely amused. There was a pause. Knowing Ruffnut would never leave them alone until they kissed; Astrid decided to take the matter into her own hands. She slid her arm slyly around his waist, and other hand behind his neck. Then, like the true swash-buckling superhero she is, she dipped her man in her arms and gave him a big fat smooch on the lips. "Who's swooning now?" she said smugly to Ruffnut, as Hiccup shakily regained his balance. Ruff stuck her tongue out, then ran away giggling. Probably to go find a place to ambush Tuffnut once he arrived with her half of their Zippleback.
"What was that all about?" Hiccup asked, running his fingers through his hair. "Oh, never mind," replied Astrid, smiling up at him. "Kiss me for real now."