A/N: Alright, here you go. The first real epilogue. Plot and smut... have fun ;P And as warning again: There is another epilogue before this one!

. o O o .

Epilogue 2: Being Chiefess

"What's he doing there?"

"Sleeping. I guess the girl keeps them up all night" Low chuckling rang through the room but didn't reach Hiccup's conscious thoughts.

"Yeah. Astrid fell asleep right away too when I left. But he should at least lie down or he'll hurt all over when he wakes" A moment later, Hiccup felt a hand on his shoulder, gently shaking him awake. "Chief?" Groaning, he blinked and slowly lifted his head to squint into Helka's concerned face.

"Mmmwhat?" he murmured, still lightheaded. Gods, he was tired! Why couldn't people let him have at least an hour of sleep?

"No offense, but you should go to bed and sleep," she said and Hiccup frowned in confusion. Wasn't that what he'd been doing right now? Dizzily, he looked around. He was in the Hofferson's living room with the big open fire- and cooking-place, sitting on a bench with his head and upper body resting on the table in front of him. His right arm lay in the low crib at his side, his hand holding Faye's. With a loving smile, he looked down at his daughter. The little monster was finally asleep and by all means looked like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth!

Millimeter by careful millimeter, he drew his hand away and couldn't help the relieved sigh when he was free and Faye still asleep. Then he looked back up at Helka and Brenna who stood a little behind her sister with a worried look.

"What's up?" he asked quietly. "Did something happen?" If not then he hoped they had an incredibly good reason for waking him!

"No, nothing happened," Helka said equally quietly. "Besides, isn't it your day off? I'm sure whatever happens, Gobber can take care of it! I just thought you might have a better rest in a bed? There are free ones upstairs, you can use any of them"

Hiccup rubbed his eyes and quietly got up on his legs again. Right, it was his day off. On two days per week, Gobber took over any chiefly duties and gave Hiccup the dearly needed time to care for his little family. Today was a special day though.

"How's Astrid?" he asked, suppressing a yawn as he climbed over the bench and stretched. Helka was right, he should use this day to catch up on some sleep but couldn't bring himself to do so. Surely, there were other things he could do, more useful things. Maybe replace the broken shingles on their roof before the winter came in full force or repair that loose shutter upstairs. There was always so much to do!

"She's fine. All healed up," Helka said, confirming what Astrid had hoped for. The postnatal period was over and if Astrid felt like it, she was allowed to do exercises and even fly regularly again. The bleeding had stopped about two weeks ago and now, Helka had made if official.

"That's good news! Astrid was thrilled, I guess? Did she go flying right away? She so missed doing that!" Hiccup smiled to himself. Her flying after him right after Faye's birth hadn't done her any favors and he still felt sorry for making her do so. She might have been up for weeks already if that flight hadn't further hurt her torn body.

"Actually, no," Helke smirked wryly. "She stayed in bed after I examined her and was asleep before I even left the room. And I meant it, you should do the same if I may say so. Doctor's order!"

A small smile tugged at Hiccup's lips. Right, Astrid had to be just as tired as he was if not even more so. They both adored Faye but it would be nice if the girl would let them sleep for longer than two hours in a row. At least once! He ran his fingers through his hair to chase away the last bits of sleepiness for the moment. "Then I'll do that," he gave in. No complaining there! "Let's just hope Faye stays asleep until I get her to her bed" He bent to carefully lift his daughter out of the crib but Brenna waved him off.

"Just let her sleep here. I can take care of her when she wakes and you two can pick her up after you had a good rest for once. Odin knows you need it!"

Hiccup couldn't argue against that. He only hesitated for a moment, his sense of duty telling him that it was his responsibility to look after his daughter. But, surely, letting her grandmother do so for a while wasn't a capital offense to the gods, right? In fact, it was fairly normal for the older ones to take care of the children while the younger adults worked, he knew that. He nodded with a grateful smile and left the house. Once outside, he felt strangely anxious. He knew that Brenna and Helka were well able to care for a baby. And it wasn't as if Faye wasn't used to their presence. It was just… weird to leave her. But then, they all would need to get used to that when Astrid would return to her former duties now.

Hiccup stretched once before he made his way up to their house. It wasn't a long way so only minutes later, he carefully opened the front door as to not wake Astrid. He took off his boot and tunic before he sneaked into their bedroom. As expected, Astrid lay in their bed, cuddled into the blanket and deeply asleep. As quietly as he could, Hiccup sat down on his side of the bed, took off his fake leg and trousers as well and curled up on the soft mattress. Thor, he really needed to rest!

The last thing he noticed before he drifted off into dearly needed slumber was Astrid snuggling closer to his chest and his arm reflexively finding its way around her waist.

. o O o .

When Hiccup woke, he was still sleepy but also felt better rested than in what must come close to an eternity. His body felt heavy and his head light but for once in good ways and not from exhaustion like on most other days. He hummed happily and then realized that he hadn't woken up on his own.

Astrid was moving in his arms, slow and warm but very noticeable. And she did it again now, drawing a low groan out of his throat that he managed only barely to suppress.

"Morning," she murmured sleepily. She probably hadn't moved like that on purpose but it surely wasn't without any effect. For four months now, they hadn't had any sex. Because Astrid wasn't ready yet. Giving birth and the strenuous flight afterward had almost torn her body apart and it wouldn't be sensible to risk any infections while she was still bleeding. Not to mention that she still was in pain and wasn't in the mood anyway. Hiccup respected that, wouldn't force himself on her if she didn't feel like it.

But – Fuck! – he wanted her!

And her grinding her cute ass against his cook right now wasn't helpful. Not in the least!

"Morning?" he replied, fighting to distract himself. He didn't want his erection to poke against her, didn't want to put any pressure on her by letting her know how horny he was. "It's got to be late afternoon, judging by the light"

Astrid paused for a moment and then chuckled. "You're right. How did that happen? Wasn't it right after breakfast when Helka left just now?"

Hiccup feverishly bit his lip as she kept moving in his arms. He should stop her before his state of arousal became too obvious but he didn't want to. It felt amazing!

"For how long did we sleep?" Astrid asked, snuggling even closer to him and he had to suppress a louder moan. "And where's Faye?" She paused and made attempts to sit up but couldn't with Hiccup's arms still around her. He should let her go, let her get up. It was the sensible thing to do, to let her go to pick up Faye and maybe some dinner from her mother and jerk off while she was gone. It surely wouldn't take long.

But he was tight as a bowstring, couldn't move without risking to act on his arousal, couldn't even loosen his hold on her.

"She's with your mother," was all he was able to gasp out and she relaxed into the sheets again.

"Hmmm, I see" her voice was light and unconcerned. "So we still have a few moments, right?" With a happy sigh, she cuddled back against him and this time Hiccup couldn't hold back the low whine.

"Ah – Astrid," he choked out. "Could you… Nng! Could you stop tha –Ah!" His hand was on her hip now after all, desperately holding her still. He was dangerously close to coming already and that would be mortifying when all she wanted was to cuddle a bit. She'd endured enough, she didn't need a sex-hungry husband in addition.

"Why?" she asked innocently and pushed back more intently until his cloth-covered cock was firmly wedged between her bare thighs. She moved her hips back and forth, maddeningly rubbing his length and he wasn't able to give her a coherent answer. All he could do was keeping himself from rutting against her like a madman and keening against her also bare shoulders. Wrapped in her blanket as she was he hadn't noticed so far but now he did. She wasn't wearing anything except her lower undergarments. Was she actively trying to kill him?

"Hiccup?" She sounded playful, smug even. "Do you know what Helka said?" He couldn't have answered her even if his head had been clear enough to think about her question. Through the thin layers of cloth that separated them, he thought he could feel her damp warmth surrounding his cock and he couldn't speak, couldn't think. His mind was utterly blank, wiped clean by the sheer sensation of her.

"She said I'm all healed up"

Helka had said so before but this time, the words reached him on a lower, more primal base and he growled. He retreated but only to pull her around and on her back. A moment later, he was above her, fighting to support his weight and intently stared her in the eyes while his hips were firmly pressed against hers. Her eyelids fluttered shut for a moment and her sinful moan rang in his ears as she pushed up to press herself even more firmly against him. It was all the confirmation he needed. She was healed up, she was ready and she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

Hiccup leaned down to kiss her hungrily, his fingers in her hair in an instant. When his nails lightly scraped over her skin, she shuddered beneath him and wrapped her arms around his torso to clutch at his back and bury her hands in his hair as well. Gods, how had he missed this! Blanketing her soft yet strong body with his own, feeling her skin on skin from head to foot. It felt wonderful. Right. Complete.

Without his help, his body was grinding itself against hers, seeking her damp heat and the friction he so desperately needed and Astrid responded beautifully. She was moving beneath him in equal measures, pressing her hips against his and shuffling her legs to the sides, welcoming him between them. Hiccup head began to spin when he felt her wet already, even through her undergarments. Thank Thor, she wouldn't need much foreplay.

As so often, he shifted his weight to one arm to reach for her breasts with the other, to caress and kneed them, to roll her hardened nipples between his fingers and pinch them to draw the most beautiful cries out of her. He'd been dying to do this again! Her breasts had grown during the pregnancy already but now, they'd become even bigger, were almost twice as big as usual. Logically, he knew this was to provide for their child but he wouldn't deny that he, too, benefitted from this development. They both moaned as his hand cupped the enlarged mound. It felt fantastic, hot and firm, even hard beneath the skin. Also sticky and slick from the constant dribble flowing down from the peak.

"Oh, Gods! Hic-" Astrid choked, writhing beneath him and arching up into his hand. With lust-clouded eyes, Hiccup watched as hers rolled back into her head, mouth parted in a silent scream. Grinning to himself, he slid down a bit and let his lips and tongue glide over her skin. It tasted weirdly sweet and he could feel his cook leaking as he was about to lick up her white mess for once.

He heard Astrid whine and suddenly, her hand was over his mouth. She lightly pushed him away from her alluring breasts all the while trembling and panting. Dimly, he remembered how she'd become more and more sensitive there and could have hit himself. Surely, that had only gotten stronger now.

"Sorry," he whispered huskily. "Did I hurt you? Too sensitive?"

Biting her lip, Astrid first shook her head and then nodded. "Didn't hurt," she gasped out after a few moments. "But yes, fucking sensitive. I… I might just come from that"

A low growl rumbled in the back of Hiccup's throat and he let his gaze drop to her breast again. That was a thought to keep in mind. But why had she stop him then? He leaned down again to latch onto her nipple, to lick, suck, and bite her until she fell apart beneath his mouth but got stopped by her once more.

"Don't," she pleaded weakly, a flush on her cheeks that wasn't purely arousal. "It's… it's weird enough to get... a little hot whenever I nurse Faye. I don't want this memory in addition"

Breathing heavily, Hiccup gazed at her through bleary eyes. Watching Astrid nurse their baby shouldn't be erotic but it was and he'd felt bad for feeling like that. But to think that Astrid felt the same… Reluctantly, he drew his hand back, away from her alluring breast and shifted to rest more comfortably above her again. "Alright," he breathed hoarsely. He tried not to be disappointed by the prospect of not being allowed to touch her breasts when they were so damn sexy. He could understand her reasoning after all.

To distract them both, he resumed kissing her ardently. His hands firmly cupped her face to keep them from wandering while his hips ground against hers again. After a minute or so, he felt Astrid's small hands roaming downward and awkwardly freeing them both of their remaining clothes until they were finally completely naked, completely skin on skin. He felt her hot fingers closing around his cock and it sent a lightning bolt of pleasure through his entire body. Gods, it had been too long… She pumped him once, twice and then guided him toward her center, her wet arousal coating him a few moment later.

Somewhere in between, their lips had parted. Hiccup couldn't remember when or how, his blank mind too busy remembering how to breathe! But he should warn her…

"Aah, Astrid, I- nnggh – I'm not sure I – Ah! – can hold out for long" He gasped, slightly embarrassed. He hadn't felt like this since their first few times, like he would come just from thinking about pushing into her, about how hot and wet she would be around him, about how she would squeeze him tight. Groaning, he let his head drop to her shoulder, his mouth on her collarbone where he began to lick and suck and bite her tender skin just to have something to do, to distract himself. Maybe he could come once, over her belly and breasts and then play her some more until he was hard enough again to fuck her properly. That could work. Surely it wouldn't take long for-

"That's okay," Astrid gasped, chest heaving in time with their bodies grinding against each other. "I – mmmhh – I'm not sure I can take – Ah! – take it for long anyway"

Hiccup frowned at her words and grimaced when they started to make sense. He squeezed his eyes shut and slowed his movement down until he stopped completely. Groaning, he rolled off of her a moment later, one arm thrown over his face to cover his eyes. He understood what she was offering. She wasn't ready yet, her body not yet healed enough for sex. But apparently, she had noticed how much he longed for her after all and was offering him to use her anyway.

"Hiccup?" She sounded puzzled and he could feel her shift and turn around beside him. His body was screaming for her, his cock pulsing painfully but he couldn't do that.

"You don't need to do this!" He stated hoarsely. He didn't want to use her as little more than a receptacle to get off without her enjoying it as well, ever. That was not how it worked for him! "I can wait if you're not ready yet" His cock gave a protesting twitch but it was surprisingly easy to ignore, the thought earlier a guaranteed mood killer.

Astrid gave an annoyed snort and tugged at his arm until he let it drop. "You think I'm not ready?" she asked, light amusement in her voice. "You think I would start this if I wasn't ready? Hel, I've been ready for days! I just waited for the confirmation that everything's healed up. I want this, Hiccup!" Astrid seemed to have talked herself into a bit of a rage but her next words came as barely more than a whisper. "I want you!"

Swallowing, Hiccup turned toward her, to look at her. "I want you, too!" He admitted hesitantly. "But I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to pretend anything for me. If you're not ready yet, if you're still hurting then that's okay. I can wait, however long it takes"

With a small smile, Astrid scooted closer until their bodies touched lightly again. "I know," she breathed. "But I'm not pretending. I am ready! I want you, want to feel you, to be one with you. I've missed that. And it's not that I'm still hurting but rather that it's been a while," she paused, biting her lip as her hips bucked against him, moving seemingly on their own volition and a shiver ran down her body. "You might need to be careful though, slow. And I don't think I can stand it for very long just yet. But that's okay. I just want to feel you inside me again. And I don't think we'll get a better chance anytime soon. So… please?"

Hiccup had gazed at her, worries slowly crumbling under her words until that last please effectively brushed aside every remaining bit. He couldn't deny her anything, especially not if she actually pleaded. With something between a groan and a laughter, Hiccup leaned toward her to kiss her again and as the temptress she was, she used her strength to roll him back on top of her again a moment later. She chuckled and hummed when he blanketed her again, her hand roaming down his back to grab his behind. His cock gave a hungry twitch, waking up quickly again. Oh, but it wasn't his time yet…

He would do what she'd asked for, all too eagerly, but first, he needed to take care of her. If she couldn't bear him inside her long enough for her to come… Well, he knew other ways to get her off first. Grinning to himself, he crawled back and let his lips ghost down her collarbone and chest before placing a soft kiss between her breasts.

"Hic- ah! Don't…," she begged but Hiccup would be good. He wouldn't go for her breasts again if she didn't want him to. Instead, he crawled back some more, let his breath tickle the skin over her ribs and drew a slow circle around her belly button with his tongue. She was trembling beneath him, panting and whimpering, those beautiful noises that made his cock pulse. When he was about to settle between her legs, she seemed to catch herself again though.

"Hiccup, wait!" she gasped. "I don't… you… I mean…" He looked up at her, puzzled and worried over her reaction alike. Was this too something she didn't want him to do for whatever reason? If so then he was slowly running out of options. But when he saw her face, he understood. There was self-consciousness in her eyes, bashfulness and nervousness. Silly woman…

He winked at her and leaned down to breathe a kiss on her quivering sex, knowingly risking her getting upset if he misinterpreted her expression. But her reaction was worth the risk. She tensed up, back arched and head thrown back as she cried out. She muffled herself a second later, one hand pressed over her mouth while the other buried itself in his hair, tugging and scraping. Humming with satisfaction, he made himself more comfortable, lying on his front, propped up on his elbows and gripping her thighs tightly. One more time, he glanced up at her, at her beautiful face with its flushed cheeks and glassy eyes. He sought her consent after all whether this was alright for her. He saw her biting her lip and then she nodded, short and almost shy.

Without drawing it out any longer, Hiccup leaned down and brought his mouth to her hot core. It was true, she had changed but that only gave him a good reason to explore her thoroughly. Eager to get to know her again, his lips and tongue searched every fold and crease while his hands fought to keep her legs apart. He didn't go slowly, didn't have the time or patience for that right now. Her lustful moans and needy whimpers had him throbbing hard again in no time, his hips frotting into the blankets and mattress beneath them on their own accord, seeking any friction he could get. As much as he loved drawing her orgasm out, it wasn't feasible today. He needed to get her off before he actually lost his mind! Hungrily, he practically tore into her, tongue lapping and lips sucking relentlessly while her desperate moans and cries rang in his ears. At some point, her urge to move her hips seemed to become too strong for her to bear, her fighting against his grip getting harder and he let it happen. He loosened his hold on her enough for her to ride his tongue and got rewarded with the most sinful moan and her wantonly moving against his mouth.

Having her so mindlessly aroused beneath him took its toll on him though. She was so gorgeous, so hot, and sexy, and tempting. One day she would drive him insane! And if he wouldn't get her off soon, that day might very well be today! He was dangerously close to spilling into the blankets beneath him in a couple of minutes and that was not what he'd planned!

Keeping on hand loosely on her hip to keep her from accidentally hurting him, he drew the other on back a little and pushed one finger lightly against her entrance. It was tender she'd said so he didn't dare to push right into her despite her being maddeningly wet and slick beneath his touch. He wanted to gauge her reaction but his caution had been unnecessary. Keening into her hand over her mouth, Astrid shuddered and then moved her hips, pushing down on his finger. With careful slow nudges, he worked it into her and when she showed no signs of pain or discomfort, he added a second finger.

. o O o .

Astrid was sure she would go insane any moment now.

Sex hadn't been of any priority for her during the past months but now, with Hiccup's hot mouth on her sex and his careful fingers inside her, she felt like she'd missed out on a lot.

Sure, there were these brief moments when Faye latched onto her breast and her body seemed not to know how to react to the sensation. There was this strain in her breasts then that seemed to reach through her body and tug at something in her groins, making her clench and unclench deliciously. In those moments, she sometimes missed having sex but these thoughts were scotched instantly when the serenity of nursing her baby overcame her.

And of course, she'd noticed how Hiccup looked at her, how his body reacted to her. She saw how his eyes became dazed and how his trousered filled out on the weirdest occasions. She felt the longing in his words and gazes and actions. Oh, he tried to hold back and hide it but she knew him too well. He'd never been good at keeping anything from her.

And it wasn't even that she didn't want to have sex either. Sure, not the… real thing, but more than once she thought about sucking Hiccup off when she heard him grunting and groaning in the other room at nights. It seemed unfair to her that he had to endure this sexual frustration just because her body was in turmoil after giving birth. She probably wouldn't mind him touching her either but it wasn't like she actually needed it, not like that anyway.

But then there never seemed to be time, never the right moment. Faye took all her attention and in those precious hours the girl actually slept soundly, Astrid was too tired to even do necessary things like doing their laundry or eat something, let alone additional things like taking care of her husband.

The last week had been different though. She'd felt it again, that desire for Hiccup to touch her, to kiss her and carry them away for a while. The bleeding had stopped already but she wanted to be sure, wanted the confirmation that her body was ready for sex again. Asking her aunt after that had been embarrassing, but not as much as it might have been a year ago. Talking about her body had become easier.

And now, she was here, trembling with anticipation over Hiccup's tongue on her clit and his fingers lazily pushing into her. It was maddeningly wonderful. At first, his eager mouth had been overwhelming, too much for her unaccustomed body and she'd thought she might just burst from all the sensation. And it wasn't like it had lessened in any way, on the contrary! His mouth had become more greedy, seeking and searching and exploring. His lustful groans had vibrated through her sensitive body, threatening to shatter her from the inside. And his desperate rutting into the sheets had only added to it all. He was mindless with lust and desire, had been so for weeks. And yet here he was, massaging her clit with his talented lips and tongue while his fingers inside her found that spot and-

"Hi-Hiccup!" she cried into her hand as a lightning of pleasure shot through her and she pushed down on his fingers more firmly, trying to chase the sensation. Her entire body was tense, her insides coiled tightly. All she needed was a tiny bit more, only one last push, just… She felt Hiccup suck on her clit, felt him groan covetingly into her flesh, felt her own hips fucking herself on his fingers, and felt those finger pushing on that sensitive spot inside her but it seemed not to be enough. "Oh, please," she whimpered over and over again, begging for the release her body so desperately needed but it just wasn't enough.

Whining, she pulled the hand away from her mouth and reached for the part of her body that was the most sensitive these days. The moment her fingers touched her breast, the world became dark as her eyes rolled back into her head. She heard Hiccup gasp and moan as she pinched down on her own nipple, roughly rolling it between her fingers and, finally, it was enough.

Astrid made no sound as she came for the first time in months, all air getting stuck in her throat on its way out. Her body and mind tried to process what was happening while she was spasming and shaking, while a lightning crackled up her spine until stars and colors exploded behind her eyes.

It wasn't the best orgasm of her life, far from it. Her groins seemed hardly affected at all, were still so tense and sensitive. But it might have been one of the most meaningful, the starting signal for their love life to continue.

While Astrid came down to Midgard, she felt Hiccup crawling back up to her, his mouth never leaving her skin, covering her with sloppy kisses. She felt him teething her neglected nipple teasingly but when she gasped in surprise, he'd already wandered further. He panted into her hair and moaned against her neck as she spread her shaking legs for him. Astrid grabbed fistfuls of his hair and hurled him into a short but hard kiss. When they parted, they stared at each other, wide green orbs meeting blue before Hiccup, as if in a trance, reached for her leg and wrapped it around his waist before he nudged his way into her with short shallow thrusts.

Astrid was glad to say that it didn't hurt, not really. The stretch was a bit uncomfortable at first but well manageable after he'd had his fingers inside her already. She kept her eyes on him, on his eyes that were glued to hers. She watched him as the last bit of sense or reason left his mind when he was finally completely inside her and it was glorious.

"Oh, G-gods," he choked, eyes bulging and jaw clenched tightly. "S-so huuh…hot! Ah! As…nngg…tird… tell mmmmhhhh" His eyes fluttered shut and a shudder ran through his entire body. Astrid could see how much effort it cost him to hold back and reached up to run her fingers over his face.

"It's okay," she whispered into the air between them. "I'm alright"

With a sound somewhere between keening and growling, Hiccup began to move. The first couple of strokes were a bit clumsy and awkward but then he found his rhythm. And it felt good! It felt good to have him inside her again, to feel him stretch her tense muscles open. It felt good to have her hand buried in his thick hair and inhale his musky scent, to feel his warmth all around her. It felt good to hear him gasp nonsense, to feel his hands clutching at her shoulders as if his life depended on her. And it felt good to watch him, this strong man who was always in control of himself, losing himself so completely. In her! It gave her a heady feeling to watch him, watch the muscles in his neck stand out and feel them move beneath his smooth skin.

What she'd said earlier was still true though, she couldn't have taken it for long but luckily, he didn't take long anyway. After the first few strokes, he seemed to lose all caution and when she signaled him to go on, he pounded into her, hard and fast. Hiccup lasted barely more than a dozen thrusts before he pressed his shuddering hips against her with all his strength, grunting and cursing. He was gorgeous like this, coming undone above her, flooding her insides in hot spurts and it felt so right.

Astrid pulled Hiccup down into a kiss, sucking on his lips and tongue as he was floating back down to her. He moaned into her mouth and almost crushed her as he nearly collapsed on top of her. A moment later, he caught himself and rolled off of her, pulling her with him until they lay side by side in each other's arms.

"Thank you," Astrid breathed and Hiccup chuckled shakily.

"My pleasure!"

. o O o .

Half an hours later, Hiccup and Astrid walked through the village, decently dressed again, smiling, hand in hand, and more relaxed than they'd been in weeks. They were greeted by other people around them, but Astrid hardly registered their wide grins and insinuating winks. Instead, she let her mind wander, trusting Hiccup to lead them back to her parent's house to pick up Faye.

Dimly, she remembered how boring those months and weeks before Faye's birth had been, how she'd shouted at Snot for telling her she would miss those calm and lazy days. Maybe she should apologize to him because he'd been so right! The past months had been demanding with getting accustomed to caring for a baby but from now on, things would only become harder. She was looking forward to returning to her old duties again, to train again and be a part of Hiccup's council, to support and help him in leading Berk. But she was also afraid of how and whether it would work out. She was Hiccup's second-in-command, his general and his advisor, a dragon rider, and a defender of Berk. But she was also her own person, an ax-wielder, a woman, and Hiccup's wife. Juggling all these parts of her hadn't been easy before but now, she also was Faye's mother.

How on Midgard could all these parts of her coexist side by side without crushing each other?

"Oh, look, Faye. Looks who's there!" Her mother's cooing voice tore her out of her thoughts and a wide smile spread across Astrid's face when she spotted her daughter. Letting go of Hiccup's hand, she hurried through the room and picked the little girl up to nuzzle her lovingly.

"Hey, little darling," she now cooed herself, "Oh, I missed you so much!" She heard Hiccup's light chuckle as he stepped behind her and leaned down to place a soft kiss on Faye's head.

"Sorry for kidnapping your dinner," he whispered so only Astrid could hear him, making her shake with silent laughter. She flashed him a wide grin when Helka entered the room.

"Look at that, two well-rested parents, almost as good as new. And so relaxed…" She said teasingly but Astrid was spared any comment when her aunt handed her a heavy bundle of cloth. "Here, I think you'll need this from now on. It's a wrap to securely carry Faye around, on your front or your back. Even flying your dragon should work as long as you don't do any daring stunts"

With a beaming smile, Astrid took the wrap. "Thank you!" she said wholeheartedly. For a moment, she considered trying it out right away but Faye had other plans.

"She must be hungry," her mother stated unnecessarily when the girl suddenly began to cry and moved her head around searchingly.

Astrid handed the wrap to Hiccup and sat down to nurse her child. Even after having sex less than an hour ago, the initial suckling sent the usual spark of heat through her body and she bit her lip. She shouldn't feel aroused while she held her baby in her arms! It was wrong, these two parts of her shouldn't mingle. But then she looked up and her gaze landed on Hiccup with the wrap still in his arms. Hiccup who looked at her with a mixture of desire and love but at the same time radiated safety and comfort.

He was the Chief, the Great Dragon Master, a warrior but at the same time, he was just a man, a father, and a husband. And in that moment, Astrid knew. She threw Hiccup a warm smile full of happiness and love as well.

So many months ago, she'd worried how being Hiccup's wife, or worse, being a mother would change her. But now, in that moment, all those worried flew out of the window. Yes, she could be every part of her. She could be a mother and help leading the village at the same time, Faye's presence didn't need to interfere with that. She could be Hiccup's wife and his general, it was what they'd always been in a way after all. She didn't need to neglect any part of her in favor of another, could be everything. Not separately but she could work those parts together into one piece, into one person, into herself.

. o O o .

This is still not the end, there are at least 2-3 more epilogues I have in mind. One comes from a request so if you have any ideas or settings you want to see here, tell me about it and I'll see what I can do ;)