As always, I own nothing.

Day 2

Hiccup's Morning

Hiccup woke up, before Toothless, but not before the girl who he had to keep. He'd forgotten about her, or maybe just hoped she escaped at night.

"I went to the great hall and asked the cook what you eat for breakfast. She gave me bread and fried eggs." He detected a slight accent in her small voice, which had the tone of a girl even younger than she looked.

"Not awake yet," he responded with a positive grunt as he plopped down at the table at the place she set for him.

"I also made you tea."

He responded with a mouth full of food, "Did you eat?"

"Later…I want to make sure you're happy."

"Don't worry about me," he mumbled, lazily chewing bread.

She moved closer to him and put a soft hand on his arm, he stopped chewing and looked at her, "Chief Haddock, I know my presence surprised you, but I want you to like me, and keep me here at your home. I heard you're a good person, an important man, and a wise leader. Most people don't want to be servants or slaves, but I've nowhere else, so as long as you don't beat me or speak harshly, I'll be good and earn my keep."

Her resemblance to Astrid as a girl threw him still. It was like talking to a meeker version of the girl he'd won over years ago. Furthermore, he didn't expect this Brie girl to want to stay. She should want to go, if not be a free citizen of Berk, at least find a way home.

"I'll talk to Astrid. I have to go to the hunt," He shoved the last of his food into his mouth.

He gathered his things as he spoke, "She'll be here later today, speak to her then."

Brie looked down, "I don't think she'll like me very much. I've heard about her from her sister."

"She doesn't know you," Hiccup picked up his chain mail, but Brie stopped him.

"It's sleeting," she brought him a warm cloak and helped him put it on.

"Astrid's not mean, just assertive. She'll like you once she gets to know you. You were a surprise. Not everyone likes surprises. And her and her sister don't get along. Probably too different. I was an only child and a boy, so I'll never understand sisters."

He grabbed his hunting weapons and whistled for Toothless who crawled down the stairs then followed him out the door, leaving the poor girl alone in the house.

000

Astrid's Morning

"Mom," Astrid bounced into the kitchen. "Something spilled on my dress, could you launder it?"

Elie Hofferson sat resurrecting the fire in the hearth. "I'd done laundry yesterday and won't be doing it again till later this week. You do it."

"I need to go to the stables to help Valka with chores, then I have to make an appearance at the hall to prepare for dinner, after that, Hiccup and the council are meeting with other tribal leaders, which I should be there for. So, since you're my mother, it would be nice if you could help me with things like this."

Elie blew into the fire, urging little flames to rise and consume the kindling, "Astrid, what will you do when you're married and have to do these things for you, a husband, and children? It was fine to be a warrior and dragon rider when you were a girl, but by marrying the chief, you've chosen a different roll now. If you didn't want that roll, you should have said 'no' and let another woman care for him."

Astrid rolled her eyes, "Oh and speaking of 'letting someone else take care of the chief' – did you know about Gunnar's gift? Giving us a girl? The nerve. I can't believe Ingrid let him do that."

Elie turned, pointing the fire poker in her direction. "Your sister is a better wife than you'll ever be. She never questions her husband. She follows his wishes. Like a wife should."

Astrid rolled her eyes.

Her mother turned back to the fire, "Maybe you need the girl's help. Hiccup could offer her protection and shelter to pay her as a servant, sometimes those girls have nowhere else to go."

"And comfort on those nights I'm out late - doing whatever you think I waste my time on?"

"You know he wouldn't do that. She could still marry someone else, maybe live somewhere else. If you're so concerned, have him arrange a marriage for her, wouldn't be the first Haddock to do such a thing."

Elie finished with the fire and stood up, "You know when Valka left, when we though her dead, other women in the village and I took care of Hiccup. For example, Gothi babysat him and Snotlout's mom was his wet-nurse."

Astrid made a face and shuddered as she pictured baby Hiccup and Snotlout fighting over Betty Jorgenson's oversized breast.

Elie gave her daughter a disapproving look, "It had to be done that way. As he grew, women in the village helped Stoic clean and do laundry. And eventually Hiccup grew and did those things for him and himself. However, now that he's chief he'll be busy. You need to take care of him, so he can do important things."

"He can take care of himself, mom. What do you think I'm going to do? Forget to tell him to go to the hall for meals? Forget to sweep the house? Not bathe him properly? He's a big boy."

Elie's scowl deepened.

"I love you, mom. But sometimes, you get these irrational ideas about what I should do with my life. I plan on being with Hiccup when he works and I'll be second in command. That doesn't include babying the chief like a toddler."

"Having a husband includes wife responsibilities, house responsibilities, and eventually parent responsibilities. Are you going to take your babies with you when he needs to go to the Larson's farm in the middle of the night to help deliver sheep? Are you going to breastfeed your babies at council meetings? And who will do their laundry? What will you do-"

"Mom! Hiccup and I will talk about that when hypothetical 'babies' come along."

Elie shook a finger at her, "You hope they come along. Part of your duty is producing heirs. You seem more into dragons and weapons than family and homestead."

Astrid's irritation slipped into anger, as she yelled, "That's not fair! I've done so much to protect this 'homestead', before we rode dragons, after we rode dragons, and even now. And I supported Hiccup long before anyone else on Berk, so don't give me that 'support your chief' yak dung!"

Elie met her hostility, "Do not raise your voice in this house. This is my house. You are my daughter, and will be even after you've moved out."

"Then don't lecture me," Astrid threw up her arms. "I'm not you or Ingrid. I'm not going to hold up in a house all day and gossip with the tribal mom's club. If Hiccup wanted that, he would have married your favorite daughter!"

Elie hesitated before saying, "I don't have a favorite. You're equal." But the way she said it too slowly let Astrid know she lied.

Astrid had enough of these types of arguments with her mother to know they reached an impasse. Without looking at her again, she grabbed the things she would need for the day and left.