A/N: Okay, here we go. I couldn't do it… I couldn't completely write this down without starting to upload it. But this story is going to have two parts and at least the first one is finished by now. I'm going to update one chapter per week, which won't take long with only three more, long chapters… xD
I'm currently writing the second part and that one is at least completely outlined so by now I know I won't just stop writing because I don't know how to go on. I can't promise the weekly updates are going to continue then, though…

But thanks to all of you who thought this might be worth of becoming a whole story. That motivated me a lot!

And a warning maybe: Some already know my writing, others might not. I tend to write angsty stories. So be prepared that this might happen here as well ;) But I also might mention my inclination for happy endings… ;)
Also: Warning of the mention and/or attempt of abuse, rape and murder.

Right, enough of the dark mood, back to more funny parts. While I wrote this, I did some light research on the Viking calendar and their holidays. I wouldn't want them to suddenly throw a party when it possibly might be a time of grievance or reflection or anything. And then I found a piece of information that really made my day. Pretty much exactly around the time I wanted them to throw this party, Vikings apparently celebrated something called the Winter Nights. It's supposed to be a celebration at the beginning of winter and at the end of the harvesting season, a great feast with lots of food and drinking... Couldn't stop grinning at that.

For those interested in Thalia: Check out the videos of Camelot836 on YouTube or google Tufflia. That's where I got the idea of her from.

Chapter 2: Waiting

Hiccup carefully stashed the three pieces of paper into Toothless' saddle bag and then turned to pet the dragon's head. As usual, the black lizard instantly nuzzled against him and Hiccup gave in to the insistent begging. With a melancholy smile, he scratched the scaly neck and big green orbs shut with a happy warble.

"Yeah, bud, I know." Hiccup murmured. "I missed this, too. Good thing it's over now, eh?" He turned his head around and gazed back over the sea to where Redthorn Island had disappeared behind the horizon a while ago. "Good thing indeed…" He added absentmindedly. The moment the island had disappeared from view, he'd called out for the Night Fury, eager to distract himself from the memories of this last month.

The peace negotiations had gone to plan, there was no reason to complain about that. Both Dagur's and his own reputation had been enough to make Chief Magnus of the Redthorn tribe and his son and heir Geir wary enough to not decline their offer. Yes, they were purchasing weapons and other equipment but they had no intention of raiding the barbaric archipelago or any of their neighboring tribes. Or so they had tried very hard to convince them… Hiccup wasn't so sure about their trustworthiness but they hadn't given them any solid reason to doubt them.

There were other concerns however and he had talked about it all a lot with Dagur and their other friend. The fact remained, the Redthorns were purchasing weapons. So, even if they didn't want to raid their fellow Viking tribes, they obviously intended to raid somebody. Eret had been right, though. Even he as Chief of the Hooligan tribe and great Dragon Master wasn't able to prevent every violence from happening. He had to be content with keeping the violence away from his tribe. And their dragons ensured that they would be safe...

There were other reasons that still made him wary though. The Redthorns weren't hunting dragons, that was something at least. Only when one happened to appear on their island to hunt their livestock then they defended themselves and, yes, usually killed said dragon. Hiccup didn't like that. But there wasn't anything he could do about it. They had a right to defend themselves after all. He was just glad they hadn't even noticed Toothless on their island.

This, too, had worked out perfectly. Just like the first time at Snoggletogg all those years ago, Toothless hadn't liked that automatic tailfin, had insisted upon flying with him and with him alone. But even the dragon hadn't been able to defy Astrid. With a small grin, Hiccup remembered how she'd angrily glared at the dragon, how she'd explained and even threatened him in a way and how, ultimately, Toothless had agreed to wear the tailfin. It really was amazing how much the Night Fury was able to comprehend. And he'd even seemed to like it in the end! He'd been flying and diving around their ship during the whole trip toward Redthorn Island and during the quiet hours of the night, when Hiccup had been lying awake in his cabin, he'd often heard the high whistling of a Night Fury soaring through the darkness in full speed high above him

No, there really was no reason to be dissatisfied with this journey. Except, he was! A peace treaty with men like these… To him, it felt awfully like he was approving of what they did! Like he approved of their plans to raid some villages far away. Like he approved of how they still despised dragons and refused to even consider to rethink their opinion. And like he approved of-

Involuntarily, his hands balled into fists. There had been no complaints. None of them had approached him with a request for help or anything the like. There had been no bruises or other visible signs of abuse. The women he'd seen during this month had been quiet and had stayed in the shadowy background whenever possible. But he'd noticed how they'd flinched or shied away from any sudden movement, how they'd averted their gazes, those sad and broken eyes, and never directly looked at any men lest they draw attention to themselves. He remembered the intimidated and scarcely dressed girls that had shown up in that guest house Chief Magnus had provided for them… They'd relocated back onto their ship the next day, making clear this was not the kind of attention they wanted or would ask for during their stay. And he remembered their screams.

He had approached Chief Magnus about that but the beefy man had only laughed and had thrown an arm around his shoulders. "Nothing like making a woman scream, eh?" He'd said and waved off any further comments on that topic. It had made him blush for a moment, because, yes, there was nothing like making Astrid scream with pleasure and it had reminded him of how it had been far too long since he'd seen her. But that wasn't the point! The point was, that those hadn't been screams of pleasure but screams of pain! But again, he had no proof, nothing solid he was able to hold against them. He was just glad, that Astrid and the other women had agreed upon staying on Berk!

Toothless' insistent nudge tore him out of his gloomy thoughts and he fought, again, to banish these memories from his mind. He couldn't fight all evil in this world, he'd learned that lesson by now. But by Thor's hammer, he wanted to!

"It's alright, bud.." He mumbled when Toothless gave him an almost worried glance. It was alright, or it would be. Eventually... There was nothing he could do, he had no right to interfere with the rules of another tribe. He needed to accept that, even though the mere thought of what his new allies did made him nauseous. He leaned his head against Toothless' warm and scaly neck, seeking comfort for a moment. "Go, bud." He whispered. "Fly home and deliver those papers. And give her a kiss from me, will you?" A worried grumble vibrated through the lean body but Hiccup gave his friend an affectionate slap and nodded encouragingly and after one last glance, Toothless jumped off the ship's deck and into the sky.

"You could have flown with him," called a deep voice from behind him and Hiccup didn't need to turn around to know who was approaching him.

"No, I couldn't" He answered tersely as Eret stepped to his side. "That wouldn't be fair." But, Gods, he had thought about it! Simply climbing on Toothless' back, finally feeling the wind in his face again and reaching home, reaching her, within two days only rather than two weeks. It had been tempting… "We all want to go home as fast as possible and leave all this behind. Just because I'm the Chief doesn't mean I deserve any special treatment."

The ex-trapper looked at him for a moment, thoughtful. "Maybe not…" he finally said. "But then you are the Chief and carry an altogether different burden than the rest of us. Well, except Dagur, but he has his own way of dealing with responsibility, I guess. And you can't deny it, you'd rather spend the next two weeks with your soft and pretty wife than with a bunch of rough and dirty men." Eret winked at him and Hiccup closed his eyes and swallowed. Soft… Thor, how he missed her soft body beneath his hands. They were married just long enough that he'd gotten used to spending the nights with her, holding her while they slept. Being separated for these weeks now had been nothing but torture!

"The same goes for Legs and Tuff as well." He replied hoarsely, determined to not let the other man see his thoughts. "I'm sure they miss Heather and Lia just as much!"

Eret chuckled. "And you think Ruffnut isn't missed at all?" he asked teasingly and Hiccup blushed. He didn't mind his friends' arrangement as long as they were comfortable with it but he still didn't want to think about it too much.

"Dunno…" he mumbled almost incoherently. "I mean, you and Snot…" Nope… he definitely didn't want to think about it!

Eret burst out laughing and slapped his shoulder. "No need to go all red, Chief!" he teased. "Be assured, we still miss her! It's simply not the same without her… Ah, I miss going down on her until she's begging for mercy." The man stretched and stared out at the sea with an almost dreamy look.

Hiccup swallowed again. If these were the conversations they would have during the next two weeks then he really should have flown with Toothless! Although... "Begging for mercy?" He heard himself asking, his lips moving on their own volition. Gods, the idea of Astrid begging for anything was weird and yet… He felt dizzy as his blood was suddenly needed elsewhere, heated his cheeks and made his pants tight, throbbing uncomfortably. Could he make her beg?

Eret smirked at him, eyebrows raised. "Yeah, with your lady that's probably quite a challenge. All the more worth it though…" he trailed off, grinning impishly. "C'mon, Chief," he then prompted playfully. "I can see the question written all over your face. Ask it!"

Hiccup stared straight ahead to where Toothless had disappeared only minutes ago and bit his lips. It was no secret that Eret was far more experienced when it came to women. Well, and men, apparently… But did he dare to benefit from that? Begging for mercy…

His voice was low, barely more than a whisper when he asked, uttered only that one word.

"How?"

Astrid sat on Stormfly's back atop the cliff farthest to the east of the island of Berk and searched the horizon. She wasn't sure what she was looking for exactly, a few white spots on top of the water maybe, or some movement or commotion within the clouds. It was far too soon for them to return though, she knew that. If they were to return now than only because something went wrong and in that case, Hiccup would have sent Sharpshot ahead already.

Taking his Terror with them had been Hiccup's idea and she'd kissed him soundly for that, right there during the council meeting. In case of an emergency! he'd said. So that they could send for help and still have Toothless there to defend them if needed. Keeping the tame Terror hidden and fed on board of their ship wouldn't be too hard and it provided just the right amount of additional safety.

Deep down, Astrid knew that no news meant everything went according to plan and there was nothing to tell. No news was good! And yet she'd spend every spare minute here, waiting and searching, ever since their sail had disappeared behind the horizon. So that she could react immediately if necessary.

Not, that she had all that much free time these days. Summer was quickly drawing to an end, there were only two weeks of harvesting at the most and every hand was needed dearly to get everything done. The last harvest needed to be brought in and securely stored, preservable food needed to be preserved and then there were the preparations for the Winter Nights. Astrid knew she needed to help wherever she could, had no time to lazily watch the sea but she couldn't help it. Last year, the Winter Nights' celebration had also been their wedding. She couldn't bear the thought to spend these days without Hiccup this year.

Beneath her, Stormyfly scuttled agitatedly and Astrid laid a hand on her neck to calm her. "Shh, girl. It's alright. I know, it's late and you're hungry. Just… a little bit longer, alright? Then we'll fly home." Home… Their home was empty. Cold… It didn't feel as strange anymore to live in the Haddock house, not as strange as it had felt in the beginning. But without Hiccup and Toothless there, it didn't feel like home at all. Just an empty house with too many memories.

Stormfly spread her wings and croaked once and Astrid decided that her dragon probably was right. It was getting dark anyway, there was no point in searching the night. With a sigh, she pressed her calves into Stormfly's flanks, the sign for her to take off. There was no need to direct her further, hunger and weariness would stir her dragon toward her new stable so Astrid closed her eyes and tried not to be too worried. There was no reason to be worried!

It took her a few minutes of flying through the darkness without paying much attention before she realized they weren't on their way back to the village. On the contrary, Stormfly seemed to have flown out over the sea and only when she'd stopped and turned back around Astrid had noticed. The dragon cawed again, a loud and trilling noise that sounded through the night and Astrid was about to asked what was up when she heard the answer. A low and very familiar warbling that made her heart beat rapidly.

"Hiccup?" She called into the night but got no answer except another one of the Night Fury's warbly noises. Where was he? Damn that black dragon, entirely invisible in this darkness! "Where is he?" The question was directed at Stormfly this time. Her abilities as a tracker were good but the one thing she was best at finding, wherever he'd flown, was Toothless. Stormfly changed the angle she was flying in and a moment later, Astrid spotted Toothless flying directly above them within arm's reach.

"There you are!" Her heart made an almost painful leap at the sight and she craned her neck to look past the dragon toward his rider. It took her a moment to realize though. The dragon's back was empty!

Her mind went blank for a moment. What was Toothless doing here all on his own? Where was Hiccup? Why was he not with him? Astrid could feel the panic rising inside her but fought it down immediately. Panicking would do no-one any good! Her eyes searched Toothless' gear for any damage, any signs that there might have been a fight but found none. In fact, Toothless was wearing much less gear than usual, only the automatic tailfin and one saddlebag, attached to a single sturdy leather strap. And now that she thought about it, Toothless was far too calm. If anything had happened to Hiccup, Toothless would be frantic! But he wasn't. He was obviously tired and weary, from the long flight probably, but aside from that, he seemed to be okay so Astrid relaxed, too.

It took them only a few additional minutes to reach the village's center with the all-you-can-eat feeding station where both dragons landed and after a short but affectionate greeting, they both turned their attention toward their meal. Astrid all but leaped out of her saddle and was at Toothless' side in an instant, tearing at the oiled leather to open the bag. Surely, he was carrying it for a reason. In it, she found three pieces of paper, two of them big scrolls, rolled up and each bound by three straps of cloth.

"Ah, the lad made it" a loud voice boomed behind her and a moment later, Gobber took the scrolls she held out for him. The documents that would ensure the peace between the Redthorns, the Berserkers, and the Hooligans. Not, what she was interested in!

Beneath the scrolls, she found another piece of paper, folded and with her name written on the front. Astrid unfolded it quickly and read the short note within.

As you can see, the negotiations went to plan, the peace treaties are signed and sealed.
Today, we left Redthorn Island and will likely reach Berk a few days before Gormandur's full moon, just in time for the Winter Nights. Looking very forward to it!

Astrid sighed in relief. He was safe and on his way back. They all were! Up until that moment, she hadn't even been aware of how anxious she really had been. But now was not the time to be anxious anymore! Tomorrow, she would have to return to her duties. Because now she had all the more reasons to prepare the feast for the Winter Nights! She glanced back down at the paper and at the remaining words.

PS: I sent Toothless instead of Sharpshot as it's far more difficult to keep him fed. There shouldn't be any dangers now anymore so I hope you'll forgive me.
And I can't write here what I want to tell you. Just that I miss you.

I really do…

And sorry for the 'kiss'.

Astrid let her hand drop and frowned. Which ki-

In that moment, Toothless turned and jumped on her, knocked her down and dragged his tongue over her face, only once before he retreated, unmistakably snickering.

"Oh, you useless…" she cursed, trying and failing to wipe away some of the sticky and fishy dragon salivae. Toothless just kept snickering and a moment later nudged her with his head and looked at her with those wide green eyes of his. It was impossible to be angry at him when he looked like that so she just reached around his neck and scratched him thoroughly.

"Yeah, bud, I missed you too!" She cooed and then bit her lips. Gods, she missed Hiccup! But at least one of her boys was back and with all the work she would have to do now, the days until the other one came home as well would probably fly by in an instant.

She'd been wrong!

Being busy and occupied with preparations didn't help with her impatience, not at all! Maybe it would have if she had anything else to do. Hunting down boars for the feast surely would have been distracting. Or organizing and planning all the different tasks at hand. That would at least have occupied her mind enough to not be constantly thinking of Hiccup's soon return.

But she wasn't doing any of those tasks. Hunting boars was traditionally for the men and although Astrid probably would have been as good as any of them at this, she'd decided to not participate. Because she was the Chief's wife now. She gladly would have accepted Hiccup's oath of love and loyalty, would have given him her heart, would have given him everything and live a normal life as a married couple. Or as normal as life for them could have been.

But Hiccup was the Chief and with that came more duties than they both would have anticipated. With it came responsibility. She wasn't just his wife, his friend, and comrade, she also was his second-in-command, his advisor, and his general. She couldn't do whatever she wanted to do anymore, the people of Berk depended on her, on them. It sometimes was a frightening prospect but Astrid Hofferson, now Haddock, had never been one to shirk responsibility. So she hadn't gone hunting and spent her days in the Great Hall instead. But not like she would have thought she would.

Arranging a feast like that for the Winter Nights was far more demanding than she would have thought. It required skills in organizing and planning, things she wasn't all that good at. She'd tried but all too soon, Gobber and her mother, who was the head of the kitchen, after all, had all but taken over. They still had come to her with every decision but at the same time had given her solid advice on how to decide until she'd had enough and told them to just do as they thought fit.

So all that was left for her to do were things like cleaning crocks, decorating the hall and peeling tons of turnips, those dull tasks that needed to be done, took a lot of time and only occupied the hands while the mind was free to wander. Exactly what she'd tried to avoid. And the fact that she always had company wasn't all that helpful either.

Of course, she was glad to spend some time with Heather and talk to her for hours but things between them were different now. They both were still dragon riders and loved a good training session but they also were both married now and especially training was something that had become difficult for Heather. Her bump had grown visibly during the weeks she'd spent on Berk and understandably that was her number one priority these days. A topic she, to Astrid's honest surprise, shared with Ruffnut of all people.

Retrospectively, it wasn't all that surprising… Her marriage to Snotlout had been fairly hurried in the end, even though they'd been known as a couple for a while. And then, there was that weird arrangement of theirs…

They were often joined by Tuffnut's young wife, a girl named Thalia, or Lia as everyone called her, of the Berserker tribe, maybe two years their junior. She was pretty with that brown hair she always wore in a tight braid and her equally brown, large eyes. And the typical Berserker antics made her perfect for Tuffnut. She was a worthy replacement for Ruff as his partner in pranks and mischief.

But it meant that Astrid spent her days in ways that, only a few months ago, she never would have thought she ever would. She sat in the Great Hall, performed boring kitchen duties and was surrounded by chatting women who talked about their husbands, babies and, inescapably, the subject that led from one to the other.

In a way, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. It had been weird in the beginning, but then she trusted them with her life, Heather and Ruff at least. Talking about sex wasn't such a hard step to make. With Lia, it had been different but the girl - no, the young woman - wasn't shy and carried her heart on her tongue and including her in these conversations wasn't difficult. And Astrid had to admit those conversations were… interesting, to say the least even though she mostly listened.

"I still can't believe you married Snot!" Heather exclaimed one day. "He's so…" A shudder ran through her and Astrid could only agree. It was beyond her how anyone could fancy Snotlout. But then, maybe she was just biased. Snotlout really had outgrown most of his boasting and braggy behavior. Maybe it was just hard for her to see his value with all the memories of his immature behavior. And then, no one compared to Hiccup anyway…

The four women were seated around a gigantic pile of turnips that needed peeling and slicing and of course, the conversation had unavoidably turned to that one topic she so desperately tried to avoid lately. Their husbands.

Not that she didn't want to think of Hiccup. It was just that… She hardly did anything else these days! She barely made it through a few minutes without wondering what he was doing and whether he thought of her, too. When she found herself in a conversation or discussion she often thought about how dreary those were without his light teasing and sarcastic remarks. And whatever she was doing, every now and then her thoughts drifted off and conjured up memories of his bright emerald eyes and his lopsided grin. She remembered his hand, warm on hers, his arms around her, his lips on her skin, his skin on her skin, how his body would rub against hers, remembered the feeling of him hot and throbbing inside her…

With a huff, Astrid tore her thoughts away from those memories and, biting her lip a little harder, she tried to listen to the conversation around her. Whatever they were talking about, it would be better than those images in her head, right?

"Hey, stop picking on my husband!" Ruffnut exclaimed in fake exasperation. "Or do you want me to start picking on yours? You do know that I was married to Fishlegs once, too, right?" Heather didn't even reply to that, just rolled her eyes and Ruff chuckled. She rubbed her comparatively flat belly before she added: "But I'll openly admit, Lil' Babylout here rushed things up a bit. No point in denying that" She kept snickering even as her sister-in-law snorted in amusement.

"As long as Lil'Babylout isn't born with eye-catching chin tattoos…" At this, Heather chimed in on the laughter though Astrid failed to get the joke. Ruffnut, Snotlout, and Eret were old enough and if they were happy with their arrangement who was she to judge them. With a baby on the way, though? It wasn't so funny anymore…

"But, honestly, how can you be sure you married the right one? I mean…" Astrid trailed off, shaking her head. The mere idea of finding herself in a situation like Ruff's, not knowing who the father of her child was… It was a nightmare! But if she ever had found herself in that situation, she probably would not have chosen Snotlout…

Ruff eyed her for a moment, surprisingly earnest all of a sudden. "It doesn't matter," she finally said with a strange, warm smile on her face. "We agreed that it would be the wisest solution. Eret doesn't have a name or anything of worth yet while being a Jorgenson means something. Lil' Babylout will have a good future. Even if it is Lil' Babyret in here instead, he'll grow up as Snotlout's child… Snot doesn't mind whether it's his or Eret's and in the end, we three are going to raise him together anyway. Besides…" She made a pause, breaking the suddenly almost solemn atmosphere with a mischievous snort. "It's far more likely that it really is Lil' Babylout. Eret is more of a backdoor kind of guy if you know what I mean." She gave Astrid a wry smirk and turned back to her turnips.

Astrid noticed how Heather and Lia exchanged a glance and gritted her teeth. It was a repetitive pattern… Ruffnut would drop some suggestive comment about her sex life, not shy about it in the least, would gloat about the fact that she knew something Astrid didn't know and then would drop the topic, hoping Astrid would ask for more information. By now she almost regretted never having been a part of those gossiping groups of young women during the last years. Sure, she would never want to exchange their years on Dragon's Edge for a boring life of gossip on Berk. But maybe she could have joined those groups occasionally, before that or when they'd been on Berk for a few days, instead of spending every free minute with Stormfly, with Hiccup or in the forests with her ax. She then would know at least some of the things Ruffnut referred to.

It hadn't really bothered her so far. She was satisfied with their love life and even… limited as their options were so far, she was sure that experience and more adventurous options would come over time. It wasn't like either she or Hiccup were afraid of trying something new. And it wasn't like it would have been any different for Ruff and Snot either. Neither she nor obviously Ruffnut had been untouched at their wedding day anymore, but their upbringing on Berk had made sure they'd stick to the man they intended to spend their life with, or, in Ruff's case, men. The Berserker tribe wasn't as consistent about that so both, Lia and Heather especially, already had their share of experience before their betrothal. But for Ruff and Snot, it should have been all just as new as it had been for her and Hiccup. And it would have been, if not for Eret. Without a doubt, Eret was by far the most experienced of their group when it came to sex. As Ruff never got tired of reminding her.

The worst part though was that Ruff's comments made her curious. Every time those suggestive hints conjured up all kinds of ideas in her mind, images that made her blood boil, made her lower belly clench deliciously and got her undergarments soaked thoroughly. She'd tried to ask Heather about those when they were on their own but Heather wasn't in the mood to talk about sex these days. And she wasn't comfortable enough to ask Lia. Those ideas though… She wasn't sure which ones were even possible, let alone what Ruff actually meant. And then there was this one point, that one question that lingered in the back of her mind ever since she realized her friends were in a solid threesome relationship. So she bit down on the inside of her cheek for a moment before she swallowed her pride and forced herself to open her mouth again, her eyes glued to the turnip and knife in her hands.

"Actually, no… What do you mean? How does it work anyway, with the three of you I mean…" She trailed off again as she felt the blood rising into her cheeks. Dammit, she hated how awkward this made her feel. And how comfortable Ruff was with it! It really was a long while since the last time Ruff had had the edge over her…

A moment later, Astrid already regretted having asked. Ruff was snickering, her voice dripping with glee when she answered. "All-knowing Astrid, eh? Never thought I would need to explain something like this to you one day." Astrid clenched her hand more tightly around the small knife. Ruff didn't mean her words as snotty as they sounded, she knew that. For all their life, Astrid had been better than Ruffnut, in everything. It wasn't surprising really that the other woman enjoyed having the upper hand for once. And it wasn't some important knowledge anyway, not something life or death. Just them killing some time while they worked… Just about sex….

"Oh, forget it!" Astrid shrugged in an attempt to appear unperturbed. "let's talk about something else, I don't really need your explanations anyway." She tried but even to her own ears, her words sounded lame. Possibly due to the raging heat between her legs. But then it probably would be better to change the subject. It wasn't like she needed any more detailed pictures in her mind right now. Just thinking about how Hiccup would pin her to their bed and thrust into her…

But Ruffnut wouldn't let go anyway, not now that she finally had asked. "Oh, I think you do!" She stated, snickering and Astrid could all but feel Ruff's grinning gaze upon her. "You know that there's more than just one place Hiccup could put his dragon, right?"

Over the rush of blood in her ears, Astrid heard Lia's giggling and Heather's coughing to hide the same and her vision began to swim slightly. Dragon? Really? It wasn't like she and Hiccup hadn't used the term dragon rider in that context, too, but still… Had Ruff needed to state it that bluntly? Now, memories of Hiccup falling apart beneath her flooded her mind and of him spearing into her like a ravenous beast. She gasped and pressed her thighs together in a futile attempt to smother that fire that was burning inside her. Gods, she really hoped he would be back soon! It could be any day now, maybe even today…

Ruff seemed to realize that she wouldn't get any more answers from Astrid on that subject. "Too bad…" she mused. "So much fun you're missing out on."

Astrid had no intention of giving in to her insinuations and hoped their conversation would return to some calmer subjects again but Lia, who always enjoyed this topic far too much, had to dig deeper of course… "Mind telling me then?" She asked unabashedly. "I always like to learn about new options" Astrid groaned inwardly as her hopes were let down. It wasn't possible to bit her lip any harder or to press her thighs more tightly together.

"Huh…" Ruffnut huffed. "I guess I can as long as you don't tell me how it went with Tuff. That's something I don't want to know! And don't tell him you got it from me, either!"

Astrid didn't look up to see how Lia reacted but she must have nodded because Ruff dived into a lengthy and very detailed monologue. Astrid tried not to listen, tried to think about all the tasks that still needed to be done, to concentrate on the godsdamned turnips in front of her but nothing worked. Ruffnut's words oozed into her mind and left it dizzy and spinning. It was clear that Ruff had just waited for her chance to get all this off her chest. She didn't just explain what she meant by backdoor guy and how this worked with the three of them. (Things that, retrospectively, Astrid wasn't so sure she really wanted to know about.) She also described other things, positions that provided a better angle, how additional stimulation on different parts of the body provided phenomenal results and also what exactly she'd meant when she'd said there was more than just one place for-

Astrid moaned quietly and fought hard to get her eyes to focus again. It was one of those days for her, one where she thought about nothing but sex anyway. Ruffnut's explanations weren't helping, not at all. If anything they made it much worse, because they stuck! Her mind had already memorized everything Ruff had said, had filed away every single point and, Odin help her, she wanted to try them all! Hiccup would be in for a few surprises when he finally came home from this journey. She let her tongue glide over her by now bleeding lip. That one point made her curious in particular. She would try that soon. Very soon!

"Ouch-shit!" she howled as sudden pain shoot up her arm and she stared down at her bloodied hand, stunned for a moment. She'd cut herself… Astrid Hofferson had accidentally cut herself! Haddock! She reminded herself reflexively, took the piece of cloth Heather held out for her and pressed it onto the wound. She lifted her arm to slow the bleeding and took a careful look to inspect the mess she'd made. There was a clean and straight cut, not all that deep but as it crossed the inside of her wrist there was a lot of blood.

"Huh… you'd better let Gothi take a look at that." Ruffnut mumbled guiltily and Astrid sighed. This hadn't been Ruff's fault, not really. Cloth still pressed to her arm, she got up and left the Great Hall to look for Gothi. To let her take a look at the wound she'd inflicted upon herself with a kitchen knife…

It was funny in a way, but Astrid wasn't able to laugh about it when the thought occurred to her that she'd more changed than just her name.

When Astrid returned to the Great Hall an hour later, her wrist was treated with a nasty-smelling ointment and tightly dressed. She wasn't seriously injured, all sinews and important veins were unharmed, she just needed to keep it clean.

She found her friends where she'd left them, still gathered around that table in the Great Hall, still surrounded by turnips and still chatting. The topic had changed though, or she desperately hoped so, at least, because they weren't alone anymore.

In her former seat now sat Valka, a clean knife in one hand, a turnip in the other, and behind her, a basket full of turnip slices in her arms, stood her mother. Please, let them have changed the subject! Astrid thought as she approached the group.

It happened occasionally that they were joined by Valka. She, too, wanted to help but even after the twenty years she hadn't been on Berk, people still wouldn't let her go near the cooking places. So she, too, was stuck with this boring and tedious work. The first time that had happened, Astrid had been close to panicking. There was no way she could live through a conversation about sex techniques with Hiccup's mother sitting next to her. But luckily, her friends had been merciful and kept the conversations on less dangerous topics while Valka was around. Or tried to, at least. Not, that that was any more pleasant for her…

"Ah, Astrid!" Brenna Hofferson greeted her daughter and placed the basket in her arms on a nearby table. She hurried to inspect Astrid's arm and Astrid let that happen grudgingly.

"I'm alright, mom. It's just a cut. I had far worse already! No need to worry…" Her mother seemed to be satisfied but shook her head nonetheless.

"A mother always worries for her child!" She stated resolutely and Astrid cringed. Not that again… Time to change the subject!

"Hey, Valka!" Astrid greeted the tall woman, turning away from her mother and her accusatory glare. "I didn't expect to see you here today again. How are the Scuttleclaws, everything alright?"

Valka looked up and smiled at her daughter-in-law and her childhood friend behind her alike. "Yeah," she affirmed. "I needed a break. I love them all and the babies especially but keeping them entertained all the time is exhausting! This is a nice way to relax occasionally."

Astrid could hear her mother's low chuckle behind her and felt her warm hand lightly resting on her shoulder. It probably was meant as a loving gesture but instead, it stung… "Don't say that too loud, the young ladies here are going to experience that soon enough." Astrid groaned inwardly and braced herself for what her mother would say next. She knew what would come, it had been the only topic her mother seemed to have lately. "Or some of them, at least!" Astrid bit her lip at that snide blow and shuffled away from her mother to sit down again. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before her mother bid her farewell. Her friends didn't comment either, they were, after all, used to her mother's remarks by now.

Valka seemed to misinterpret the silence though and after Brenna had left for the kitchen again asked: "You're still not pregnant?" There was no doubt as to where that question was directed and Astrid sighed.

"No, I'm not." She simply answered, hoping the other woman would drop the topic again but, of course, she wasn't that lucky.

"Maybe you should go and see Gothi," Valka suggested hesitantly, not turning, not looking at her.

Astrid didn't want to talk about this. Why was everyone so eager for her to get pregnant? Why weren't she and Hiccup allowed to have some time just for themselves before they started a family? But Valka seemed to be waiting for an answer… "And why would I do that?" she asked grimacing and noticed Heather shifting uncomfortably on the other side of the table.

"Well, how long is it since your wedding? One year now?" As if Valka didn't know that perfectly well… To her, it felt like much less, a few short months only, but it really was a year already. "If you haven't caught yet… I know for a fact that Gothi can make you a potion to help there. To make it more likely…" She trailed off as Ruffnut began to snicker. Astrid threw her a dark glare but that didn't deter her.

"Or maybe you're just doing something wrong…" Ruff muttered, though loud enough that Valka surely couldn't miss it. Astrid felt the blood rising in her cheeks. So not a topic she wanted to talk about with her mother-in-law listening in!

"She's still drinking moon tea," Lia pitched in, maybe in an attempt to help Astrid out but it only served to make her grimace. This wasn't information she wanted everyone to know. Her mother suspected that already, but if she learned that it was actually true… she would never hear the end of it. And Valka seemed not too pleased either…

"You are?" She asked, now turning toward her after all and Astrid looked up at the tall woman with a defensive expression.

"Yes, I am!" She stated and tried to sound as poised as possible. She wanted to say more, explain, defend her decision. She wanted to enjoy her time with Hiccup just a little bit longer now that they finally could be together, openly, without hiding or sneaking in scouting trips to have some alone time like they'd done occasionally in the month before the wedding. But she couldn't say any of that out loud, not to Valka!

But it didn't seem to be necessary anyway. A knowing smile tugged at the older woman's lips before she turned her gaze back to her busy hands. It was quiet for a moment and Astrid began to hope this conversation would finally be over. But, of course, she'd been getting her hopes up too soon.

"You shouldn't," Valka finally said, simply and without any judgment in her voice. "It's not healthy in the long run and…" She paused again and Astrid thought she would leave it at that after all but then Valka added: "And you never know how much time you have left…"

Astrid stood atop the stairs that led up to the Great Hall and let her gaze wander over the village below her and the open ocean behind the sea stacks. If it had been anyone else…

She'd left Valka and her friends after that last comment, unable to quietly sit still anymore. Her arms were tightly wrapped around her torso while she desperately wished Hiccup was there and his arms were around her instead. If that statement had come from anyone but Valka…

Of course, the whole village was used to losing their loved ones. Or rather… they had been used to it. That had changed after Hiccup had defeated the Red Death and now losing the one you love… It wasn't a real threat anymore. Except it still could happen. It had happened to Valka…

Losing Hiccup…

Astrid desperately tried to push the thought away, didn't even want to think about it. He would be here in a few days at the latest, there was no need to be worried. Except she still was. She would always be worried for him!

She flinched when the door within the gigantic gateway behind her opened and she heard steps approaching her. Please, not mom! Was all she could think. Even talking some more to Valka would be more pleasant than that. Hel, even Ruffnut would be preferable!

"She's right, you know?" Astrid almost relaxed when she recognized Heather's voice, though her word soon prevented that. "You should stop drinking it."

Astrid exhaled audibly and closed her eyes. "Not you, too!" She exclaimed, annoyed. "I thought you of all people would spare me with this!" She turned to glare at her friend but the black-haired woman just patiently shook her head.

"I know I said I can understand you. But she has a point." Of course, she had! Astrid knew that… But- Heather stepped passed her to gaze over the sea as well and Astrid was grateful for not having to keep eye contact. "You think it's not real." Heather continued after a few minutes of silence and Astrid frowned. What did she mean by that? "He's Hiccup after all, right? He can do everything, accomplish everything, survive everything. He has done that so far, lived through more than almost everyone else. What could possibly happen to him? You think you have all the time in the world."

Astrid closed her eyes as those words hit home within her. Because they were too true. Hiccup had accomplished the impossible on so many occasions already, there was nothing that could stop him…

"And yet here you are…" Heather continued. "fearing for him more than anyone else is fearing for their loved ones. This journey of theirs isn't supposed to be very dangerous, never has been and yet you insisted upon him bringing Toothless. That alone made this whole enterprise so much more dangerous! What would have happened if the Redthorns had found Toothless on their land? They would have attacked him, maybe killed him. They would have arrested Hiccup, Dagur, and the others, put them on trial for going behind their backs, maybe sentenced them to death." Astrid gasped and dropped her gaze. She hadn't thought about it that way before but Heather was right.

"I didn't say anything because I agree. Having Toothless there with them, it gave me a better feeling as well, despite that paradox." Absentmindedly, Heather rubbed her bump. "But you have to make up your mind. Either you think you have all the time in the world or accept that there always will be threats. You can't have it both ways." She gave Astrid a few moments to think about it and, finally, the blonde nodded.

"You're right…" She whispered. She couldn't have it both ways. But which was the right one?

"You've been so anxious…" Heather went on. "But have you ever thought it through?" Astrid blinked in confusion and gave her friend a questioning look. "What would actually happen if he doesn't return? Have you ever thought about it, past the fear and the pain, I mean."

Astrid swallowed. Fear and Pain! Those were exactly the feeling that threatened to overcome her when she tried to think about it. "I… I can't-" she gasped and Heather nodded.

"You couldn't go on. That's how it would feel like anyway. There would be nothing left…" Astrid eyed her and remembered that Heather had been there before. Not because she'd lost her lover but because she'd lost everything! "But you can. You would go on, even though you wouldn't know how you're managing that. But that's not what I mean." Heather nodded down toward the houses and people of Berk, wandering about everywhere. "I mean them. What would it mean for them? They just lost their old Chief and his heir is a great replacement. But what would happen if they lost him, too? Who would succeed him? You? You'd be broken and hopeless. Maybe you could lead them someday but it would be hard. Who else? Snotlout? He became a decent guy, but he's no Chief!

"I know, all you want is to be with Hiccup. It's been all you've wanted for a very long time. But you are not just his wife. You are the Chief's wife! And no matter how many tasks you take, as his advisor, dragon trainer or general, as the Chief's wife you have one duty. You shouldn't neglect it!"

Astrid stared at her friend in shock for a moment before she pensively dropped her gaze. Neglecting her duty… She'd never neglected her duties! And as the Chief's wife, it was her duty to produce an heir… Dammit!

It wasn't like… like that wasn't an option. She knew they would become parents eventually, was even looking forward to it. Only not now already. She didn't feel like she was ready yet. She wasn't ready to discard her ax and join the club of chatting housewives.

But Heather was right and so was Valka. As much as she wanted to believe it, even Hiccup wasn't invincible. She'd like to pretend otherwise and keep acting like there was no rush but that was foolish. She had to be responsible…

And then… Astrid hadn't wanted to let these thoughts affect her conscious mind but they were there… They had been there for two months now, ever since Heather had arrived on Berk. Ever since Astrid knew Heather, she'd been able to see herself in the other girl. Looking back now, she was able to confess, though only to herself, that she'd envied Heather the first time they'd met. She'd envied her for how easily she'd been able to flirt and play her role even with her ulterior motives. And then she'd seen it. Heather was just like her, would do everything for those she held dear. And Heather was strong and Astrid had always admired her for that. Not that she considered herself weak, but still… How she'd always fought on her own, how she'd infiltrated the Dragon Hunters and later had coped with her brother and his antics… She'd always done what needed to be done. Astrid liked to think that she would have done the same but she'd probably never know. Because she'd never been in that situation. She'd always had friends around her and she'd always had Hiccup… She and Heather had always been alike, had always been warriors, fighters and she'd thought that would never change.

Seeing her friend again then two months ago, happily smiling, glowing with joy over her growing bump… It had confused her. She'd never thought of Heather as a loving wife and mother, not even when they'd all cared for Garf right after he'd hatched. But here now she was, smiling while absentmindedly caressing the bulge under her soft tunic and Astrid wondered. Could she be like that? They'd always been alike, could she be like that as well, radiating happiness while Hiccup's baby grew inside her?

Hiccup's baby… Their baby… Her throat tightened and involuntarily her hand fluttered to her stomach. Something inside her shifted, she could almost feel it. Suddenly, she could see it, could see herself with a baby version of Hiccup in her arms, could see this tiny bundle with his green eyes and auburn hair smiling up at her.

She gasped and felt a single tear running down her cheek as she realized. Gods, she wanted this! She'd never thought about it like that, hadn't let herself think like that. She'd only ever seen the crying children with their annoyed and tired mothers and the remaining reasonable part inside her knew this was still true. But it wasn't all there was to it. Slowly, her free hand wandered upward to cover her trembling lips. She wanted this… Valka had been right, one never knew what the future would bring. And Heather was right as well, it was her duty to ensure that there would be an heir in case something happened to Hiccup. Both were valid points and very good reasons but not what changed her mind. She wanted this, wanted to hold this beautiful child in her arms, wanted it for her own sake and for Hiccup's as well. If he agreed…

Her lips twitched into a smile on their own volition. She would talk to him as soon as he was back. Or… Well, some time after he was back probably… Shaky laughter threatened to escape her as the intensity of the moment hit her but it never made it out. Suddenly, Heather's hand was on her arm, clutching her firmly. Astrid looked at her, worried something might be wrong but Heather's expression was exhilarated, her gaze directed into the distance. Toward the horizon.

Astrid's head whipped around just as Heather whispered: "They are back!" And really, there, so small it was almost invisible, was a white dot between the sky and the ocean. Sails that were growing bigger as they came closer with every second.

He was back!

So, finally, chapter two. Feel free to let me know what you think of it ;)

And to L: Thanks again!