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000

After preparing bread in the early morning, the Viking women went out to pick red currants which grew wild in Berk's open fields, these would be the last berries of the season, the last they would pick before their cold autumn became their harsh winter. From the high vantage upon Raven's Point, Astrid could see the black silhouettes of fishing ships against the graying sky returning to port. The men and some boys left early in the morning and must have been successful to come back before lunch.

The icy wind from below pushed up the cliff causing the scent of salty ocean to mingle with the sweet fragrance of the nearby Cedar Trees.

Astrid rose from her place amongst the shrubs, shifting the hood of her fur cloak away from her face to increase her peripheral vision. She readjusting her half-full basket to balance under her arm and over her hip as she approached the cliff's sheer drop. She wonder which tiny figure was Hiccup and how he felt this morning. To everyone else he finally started portraying confidence in his role as chief, but last night he revealed to her the riptide beneath the surface, the grief and listlessness that seared deep in his veins.

From her spot on the edge, Astrid stood closer to her sister and mother. She heard her name in their conversation, prompting her to eavesdrop.

"If you stayed here for a while, Astrid could learn how to take care of babies, too. It might even encourage her to have her own," Elie suggested.

Astrid glanced back and meet her sister's eyes.

"Astrid takes care of dragons. I'm sure she can handle babies," Ingrid muttered.

As Astrid's looked over at Ingrid crouching amongst the bushes, she noticed the sleeve of her sister's dress had fallen back reviling a deep purple bruise on her wrist. Astrid turned around and reached for the frail arm, pulling it from its task of plucking little round berries. Further inspection revealed the bruise stretched up her forearm. Ingrid yanked it away, causing the sleeve to fall further back and unveil lighter marks, older ones trailing up to her elbow. Hastily, Ingrid re-adjusted the sleeve, covering the tender spots and slinked away, as though Astrid created the damage.

"What happened?" Astrid asked.

"Got it caught."

"In what?"

Their mother looked at Astrid and warned, "Leave it, dear."

"She should see Gothie, it looks bad - maybe broken."

Ingrid shuffled away moving to another cluster of the berries. Astrid started to follow, but Elie stepped in her path. "Astrid, your father and I know. We've discussed it with the chief. Let this go."

"Chief Gunnar or Chief Hiccup?"

Elie spoke softly, "You've other things to think about. Hiccup will take care of this."

"What is 'this'?" She tossed her free hand aggressively.

"Nothing to concern yourself."

"My family, my husband-to-be - I'll concern myself."

Elie took her hand and tried to calm her with whispered words, "Gunnar doesn't treat your sister well. He might be hurting her. Hiccup is investigating ways she can stay here – permanently."

"And?"

Elie looked down, "She's afraid to leave him. And your meddling will make her nervous."

Astrid stepped toward her sister, but Elie put her arm out to stop her, "You'll make it worse!" She hissed. "These things are Chief Haddock's problems now."

"Oh, mother, he has enough to handle. You should have come to me. Hiccup isn't your and dad's personal helper, I'm more a part of this family than he is. Why would you shut me out?" As she spoke Astrid's volume increased causing the women in proximity to look up from their harvest.

"You are making a scene. No one told you because of your inability to control your anger. Besides, Hiccup is better suited for this," Elie chided through gritted teeth.

Seeing the commotion, Aunt Laga walked over to Ingrid and taking her arm pulled her close. "Perhaps you should come back to our camp to rest and have some tea, dear." The scrawny old woman gave Astrid a look colder than frightmare breath.

Astrid pondered how a twisted woman like that could be the sister of someone like Valka, who, like Hiccup, only cared for equality and peace.

"She won't be going back with you – ever. Leave her here," Astrid demanded as she stomped over to her sister and wrenched up her sleeve, "Did you know about this? What sort of mother raises a son who hurts women? Hurts his wife? Hurts his pregnant wife? And has a wife, but keeps slaves for pleasure? Or even keeps people as slaves? What is wrong with you?"

Laga remained unflinching at Astrid's questions, her only motion pulling Ingrid closer. "The sort of mother who is around. Around to teach him how to be a feared leader. Not some soft dragon sympathizer, who is so desperate and lonely his mommy issues make him cower to his crazy future wife."

Astrid's spark of anger flared into a bonfire. Her angry pulse beat like drums in her ears.

"Astrid," She heard her mother order behind her, "calm down. Walk away."

Astrid tried to tame the blaze. She wanted to calm down. She took a deep breath and turned to walk away - ending the fight, dousing the fire. For a moment, she felt proud for not letting this spiral further.

But her opponent wanted the fight to continue. Laga snidely commented, "If Hiccup was the wise leader he's rumored to be, he'd keep you caged up like those dragons should be."

Old woman or not, she deserved a punch. Astrid felt her fist tighten and her anger erupt like a volcano. Her rage exploded, pushing back reason as she twirled around - fist up and wound back.

Astrid took the swing fast. Too fast to think. Too fast to stop.

The woman stood prepared and as the younger girl's fist moved to its intended target, Laga pulled Ingrid in front of her like a shield – causing Astrid to punch her pregnant sister's face instead of the vile old woman.

Too frail to take the hit, Ingrid tumbled backward, cowering on the ground.

"You hit her!" Laga screamed, flailing like an angry chicken.

"I'm sorry," Astrid insisted, trying to go to her sister. To help her. To make it right. Elie ran over and pulled Astrid back, Heather joined talking her other arm.

"I didn't mean-"

"You jealous, monstrous girl!" Laga cried out so loud all the women in the field turned to look. Mothers pulled children behind them. Whispers circled like swarms of crows.

Astrid tried to explain herself as her mother pushed her to Heather, who stood between her and her sister.

Elie went to Ingrid, holding her face to her breast while petting her hair.

Laga yelled accusations about Astrid to the crowd, calling her crazy. Envious. Hateful. Violent.

Ruffnut approached the mess, standing between the old woman and the gathering pack, trying to end her ravings, while easing the crowd.

"Everyone, go back to work. Nothing to see here, folks."

Laga turned her attention to Ruffnut, but lowered her voice enough to cause the group to lose interest. The woman smirked as she held her head high, informing Ruffnut she would return to her camp alone and would relay this event to her son – Chief of the Brawlers.

Elie used the confusion to get her older daughter away, while Heather calmed Astrid.

"I didn't mean to hit her," Astrid insisted as Ruffnut walked up.

Ruffnut flinched when Astrid threw her arms up in exasperation. Heather shot the blond twin an 'are-you-serious' look.

Ruffnut, replied, "Not taking chances with a girl who sucker punches pregnant chicks."

Astrid growled, but Heather put a hand on her shoulder, "This is bad, but getting angrier, will make it worse."

Astrid backed up and took another calming breath. Heather looked around at the now suspicious women glancing at them from the field.

"Freya help us," She muttered, "this is bad."

000

A/N - Apologies for the lateness of this post. I had work and life. The next one should be up sooner - it is written, I just want to re-edit it a few more times.