All right, all you Hiccstrid fans, I think it's high time for your favorite Dreamworks couple to meet!

Oh, and look for a reference to the books in the middle of this chapter.

Chapter 11: Astrid

June 30

Berk

With Hiccup sitting up in her arms, Valka observed their surroundings. Early summer had just arrived in Berk. Summer was always a blessing to Valka, but this particular summer was extra special to her because it was Hiccup's very first one. He had made it through the last few weeks of winter and he made it through the entirety of spring. And now it was summer and he was still in the arms of her and her husband.

Hiccup still remained smaller and skinnier than most babies but he had grown at least two inches within the last few weeks. He was also eating all of his meals so much better now that she and Stoick didn't have to sing to encourage him anymore.

Valka stood still for another minute then began to make her way through the village. She was on her way to the Hoffersons' house.

"I can't wait for you to meet her, Hiccup," Valka said to her son.

The "her" Valka was referring to was the Hoffersons' new baby daughter. She had been born about two weeks ago and her parents named her Astrid. Valka thought that was the perfect name for a beautiful baby girl. "There are too many people in this village with strange names," she had commented when she heard about it. "It's about time one of us was given a better name."

Valka so desperately wanted to introduce Hiccup to Astrid but Stoick had insisted that she should wait at least two weeks so that Ingrid would have her rest. And so the two weeks came and went and Valka decided this was the perfect day for her and Hiccup to visit the Hoffersons.

It wasn't long before they arrived in front of the Hoffersons' residence. Keeping Hiccup cradled in one arm, Valka knocked on the front door with her free hand.

"Who is it?" came Ingrid's voice from inside.

"It's Valka and Hiccup, Ingrid," Valka answered.

"Door's open, Val, come on in," Ingrid called.

"Well, son, this is it," Valka said, smiling down at Hiccup who was looking up at her with a curious expression

Opening the door, Valka stepped inside where she saw Ingrid sitting on a chair beside a wooden baby cradle with the spiked heads of red-and-blue Deadly Nadders carved on the headboard. From where she was standing, Valka could see the tiny bundle nested within the tiny bed.

"Good day, Ingrid," Valka greeted cheerfully.

"Good day, Valka, Hiccup," Ingrid greeted back.

"Where's Einar and Finn?" Valka asked looking around for Ingrid's husband and brother-in-law.

"Out fishing for supper," Ingrid replied. "What brings you here?"

"If we didn't come here at a bad time," Valka started, "I was wondering if Hiccup and I would like to meet your daughter."

"Oh," said Ingrid, surprised. "Well, it's, um, not exactly a bad time but Astrid is taking her nap. If she's ever gonna grow up to be a great warrior someday, she needs to conserve as much of her energy as possible."

"Well, you could still introduce us to her while she's napping," Valka insisted. "I want Hiccup to get to know all the children of Berk after all."

Ingrid pondered for a moment. "Well, very well."

Kneeling beside the cradle, she carefully cradled the bundle into her arms and then approached the Haddock mother and child. Valka exhaled deeply in adoration as Ingrid lifted the baby girl's head and neck so that she and Hiccup could have a better look.

Astrid had a heart-shaped face that was topped with silky locks of blonde hair. Her eyes were closed and her skin was fair.

"She's beautiful," Valka breathed.

"Indeed," said Ingrid proudly. "And she's tough too - tough enough to make it through an equally tough birth." Then she muttered under her breath but still loud enough for Valka to hear, "Unlike some."

Valka noticed she was eyeing Hiccup as she muttered this but she ignored that comment.

At that moment, Astrid blinked her eyes open revealing that they were as blue as the clearest crystals.

"Oh, good, she's awake," Valka said. "Now she can see her new friend."

Lifting Hiccup's neck and head with one hand, Valka approached Ingrid and Astrid a little closer.

"Hiccup, this is our neighbor, Mrs. Ingrid Hofferson and this is her daughter, Astrid," Valka introduced. "She's a baby just like you. A baby girl that is."

Looking up at Ingrid, Valka nodded encouragingly.

"Uh, Astrid, this is Mrs. Valka Haddock and her baby boy, Hiccup," Ingrid said to her daughter.

Astrid looked at Valka and Hiccup curiously, blinking her beautiful blue eyes.

Valka looked down at Hiccup and her eyes lit up at something extraordinary. Hiccup's eyes were wide with curiosity and awe – actually his eyes were really, really wide. His eyes always widened when Valka showed him something or someplace new but this time, his eyes were really wide as he looked at the baby girl in front of him.

Valka remembered how wide Stoick's eyes had gotten whenever she was around him back when they were dating. And if her son's curious eyes were just as wide as he looked at Astrid, she knew that could only mean one thing.

"Uh, perhaps we should separate them for a while," Ingrid announced sounding uncomfortable and stepping backwards. "I don't like the way Hiccup is looking at my Astrid."

"Oh, Ingrid, I'm sure Hiccup doesn't mean to stare," Valka assured. "He's just never seen another baby before and he's excited to see one. In fact, I think Hiccup really likes Astrid."

Looking down at Hiccup, she asked, "Hiccup, do you really like Astrid?"

"Ooh," Hiccup murmured, still keeping his curious eyes on Astrid.

"Of course you do and I'm sure Astrid likes you too," Valka smiled. "Ingrid, why don't you ask your daughter if she likes my son?"

Sighing, Ingrid looked down at her new daughter. "Astrid, do you like Hiccup?"

Astrid only babbled baby noises in response.

"I'll take that as a yes," Valka smiled.

"I guess I'll take it as a yes as well," Ingrid sighed.

"You know, Ingrid, somehow I feel like our children are meant for each other," Valka said.

"Well, I'm sure they might become friends as they get older," Ingrid admitted.

"And maybe someday they'll get married to each other," Valka added.

"Married?" Ingrid echoed, surprised. "Valka, I had my daughter just two weeks ago and already you're thinking about her getting married."

Valka chuckled. "Well, after just a few minutes after Hiccup was born, Stoick talked about all the wonderful things he will do when he grows up."

"When he grows up?" Ingrid echoed again. "I believe you mean if he grows up."

"What do you mean 'if he grows up'?" Valka asked suddenly sounding defensive.

"I'm sure you haven't forgotten what Gothi told you when he was born? About how he might not survive?"

Once again, Valka could feel the memories of her fear of her baby son perishing so soon coming back to her but she shook her head, brushing them all aside. She just couldn't go back to believing that Hiccup wouldn't survive. She won't!

"That's ridiculous. That was four months ago and now look at him. He's alive and healthy."

"I can see that, Valka," Ingrid insisted. "But what I'm trying to tell you is that even if he does grow up, he might still end up frailer than most children. He probably won't even stand a chance against all the dangers out there."

"Ingrid Hofferrson, I can't believe you would say that about your own future Chief," Valka said, aghast. She gestured to Astrid. "What if your daughter here had been born as early as Hiccup had? Would you believe she wouldn't survive her first year or grow up to be frail and fragile than most?"

"Well…well, no, of course I wouldn't," Ingrid stammered.

"And yet when one of your neighbor's child is born frailer and smaller, you'd believe it would never make it?!"

Ingrid just stared at her, her mouth agape. The only sounds that were heard in the house where the baby noises Hiccup and Astrid were making.

Valka could feel the fear of losing Hiccup creeping back into her all over again. But she had promised her mother Valencia just moments before her death that she would keep on believing in Hiccup no matter what. She just had to keep her promise.

"Stoick always says that Hiccup will become the strongest of them all. And if he believes it, then I believe it too," Valka said firmly.

And with that, she stormed out of the doorway with Hiccup still in her arms.

Her eyes stinging with tears, Valka walked through the town and into the forest. She needed some alone time with her son away from the town – away from the judgmental people.

Clutching Hiccup tightly, she zigzagged around the tall trees. Rays of sunlight poured through the gaps of the branches heavy with green leaves. Leafy ferns brushed against her legs and hips as she continued her way through the woods.

After about five minutes of trudging past the trees and through the ferns, Valka sat down with her back against the trunk of a tall, shady tree, pulled Hiccup close to her chest and finally wept her angry tears.

Hiccup looked up at his mother with a confused and worried expression and whimpered quietly. Embarrassed, Valka wiped her eyes and sighed deeply.

"Ah, Hiccup. I'm so sorry we had to cut our visit short and that I had to drag you away from Astrid. She really is a beautiful baby girl. But Ingrid should never have said those things about you." She smiled sadly. "Don't get me wrong though. Ingrid is a nice woman deep down. Everyone on Berk is nice in their own unique way. But what I don't like about them is their judgment. They take one look at something or someone and suddenly they think they know everything about them. Why must they speak awfully about such things? Things like premature babies and…"

She almost said "dragons" but instead she said…

"…and…well, other things." She sighed deeply. "At times like this, I wish I could just leave Berk. Sometimes I wish I could just leave, find a place of my own and live my own life."

Hiccup looked at her with sad, puppy-dog eyes and whimpered. Her face melting with sympathy, she pulled Hiccup closer, letting him rest his chin on her shoulder, his arm wrapped around hers. There had been many times in her life where she wished she could leave the island despite being the very place where she had been born and raised. If she really did leave, it would already be hard enough for her to leave Stoick behind. But to leave her baby boy as well…

"Val?"

Valka and Hiccup both looked up in surprise at the sound of Stoick's voice. He was standing just a few feet away from them and clutching his helmet in his left hand. Valka always thought he looked so handsome with his helmet off. Not only was he looking so handsome at the moment but also very concerned.

"Stoick, what are you doing here?"

"I followed you of course," Stoick replied matter-of-factly. "I was in the middle of helping to repair one of the sheep pens when I looked up and saw you leaving the Hofferson's house. You looked very upset so I excused myself and followed you all the way here. Is everything all right?"

Valka looked down at the ground, embarrassed. "Well, if you must know…"

"And I must," Stoick said, sitting down beside her and placing his helmet aside.

Valka told her husband everything that had happened during her visit to Ingrid and everything they had said. Stoick nodded from time to time and even lit his eyes up in delight when she had mentioned how Hiccup had looked at Astrid.

"Can I ask you something, Val?" Stoick asked once she was finished.

"Anything, dear."

"I didn't, by any chance, hear you tell our son out loud that you wanted to leave Berk, did I?"

Valka's eyes widened at that question before she felt her cheeks warm up with embarrassment. "I didn't mean that."

"I hope not. Leaving is the last thing I'd let you do. If you did leave, who would I cook all our meals for? Especially if you can barely cook for yourself?"

Valka blushed even harder but smiled.

"Who would I kiss good morning and good night? And most importantly, who would I sing and dance with?"

"You could always make Gobber your sing-and-dance partner. He loves to do all that as much as we do."

"Are you kidding me? Gobber is a terrible song-and-dance partner. And I just can't let you have a desire to just pack up and move out."

"Well, maybe I wouldn't have such a desire to pack up and move out if everyone here wasn't so judgmental about babies who come into this world so early and…"

Again she about to say "dragons" but instantly changed it to…

"…just other things."

"Just other things?" Stoick echoed.

"Yes."

She could tell by the look on Stoick's face that he knew exactly what she almost said but after a moment, he smiled and patted her shoulder gently.

"Well, try to pay no mind to what Ingrid just said to you," he assured her. "The Hoffersons have always had a bit of a proud streak, especially old Finn."

The couple chuckled together.

"Well, you're the one to talk," Valka teased.

"I beg your pardon?" Stoick asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You have a bit of a proud streak yourself."

"Well, maybe I do but at least I'm not as proud as the Hoffersons."

"Oh, come on. I've actually seen you act prouder than the Hoffersons."

"I did no such thing!"

"Oh, yes you did," Valka said teasingly, bumping her elbow against Stoick's shoulder.

"No, I didn't," Stoick smiled, also bumping his elbow against her shoulder, a little roughly on account of his Viking strength.

But the couple continued to laugh and bump elbows teasingly. Even Hiccup was finding himself laughing along and waving his spindly arms.

"But I'll admit one thing," Stoick said once they settled down. "I don't know why of course but somehow I agree with you full-heartedly that Hiccup and Astrid are meant for each other."

"You really think so?"

"Why else would his eyes widen at the sight of a strong and beautiful girl?"

Valka blushed again and her smile grew wider.

"I can almost see them growing up together along with the other children of the village," Stoick continued.

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot," Valka said. "Some of the other families in town having been having children over the past few months as well."

Stoick nodded. "Aye. Spitelout also has a son of his own. Snotlout by name."

"I hope for Snotlout's sake he doesn't end up growing up to be like his father," Valka said, shaking her head and smiling. "And the Ingermans have a little boy as well."

"Indeed, they do but I forgot his name though." Stoick pondered. "It was Fish something. Eh…Fisheggs?"

"Fishlegs, Stoick," Valka corrected.

"Right, Fishlegs." Then he laughed. "And poor old Mrs. Thorston has her hands full with those new twins of hers."

Valka laughed. "Then maybe it's a good thing Gothi warned us not to have more children."

"Yeah."

"It would be a joy to watch Hiccup and befriend all those children."

"And not only will he be their friend, he will be their leader. They will look up to him for protection and advice and he will provide them with both."

Valka nodded. There was no doubt about it. The more Stoick talked about how strong Hiccup would grow up to be, the more confident she felt.

"I'll tell you what," Stoick said, standing up. "Why don't we go back to the Hofferson's, I'll have a few words with Ingrid about earlier and we can have a do-over? Introduce Hiccup to Astrid all over again without a mother-to-mother argument."

"Hiccup, what do you think?" Valka asked, looking down at her baby boy.

Hiccup responded with incoherent babbles.

"I think that's a wonderful idea."

So the couple returned to the village. Valka anxiously waited outside the Hofferson residence, clutching Hiccup while Stoick spoke with Ingrid inside. A few minutes later, Stoick stepped outside. Ingrid followed close behind with Astrid in her arms. Now that she was outside, Astrid's hair seemed to shine like a river of gold under the sunlight.

"Ingrid, why don't you introduce your new daughter to our son?" Stoick asked.

"With pleasure, Stoick," Ingrid said with a forced smile. She lifted Astrid's head towards Valka and Hiccup's direction. "Astrid, this is our Chief and Chieftess, Stoick and Valka Haddock and this is their son, Hiccup."

"Hiccup, this is Mrs. Ingrid Hofferson and that's her daughter, Astrid," Valka said, also lifting Hiccup's head.

Valka felt her heart burst as she noticed her son's smile and wide eyes as he looked at Astrid. She could tell he was happy to see her again. Even Astrid was smiling a little, though not as wide as Hiccup's smile.

"As the two of you grow older, she's going to become your friend," Valka said.

Then Stoick leaned down and whispered loud enough for only her and Hiccup to hear, "And if you're lucky, your future wife."