WriterFreak001

The Chief of Berk mindlessly chewed on his bottom lip as he tightly held his wife’s slender, limp palm in his sweaty, calloused hands. He stared blankly at the wall as the world numbed around him. Gothi believed the Chieftess would recover in time, but it had been three days since the incident, and her eyes were still closed. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought she was sleeping, but she was so pale. So cold. Almost lifeless.

Hiccup’s worse fear was coming to fruition, and he was scared shitless.

He couldn’t think. Couldn’t function. Couldn’t see past the negatives.

And it killed him over and over to see her slowly fading away.

She was supposed to be the strong one. The best Shield Maiden of Berk.

She was going to be the mother of his children one day.

She had so much ahead of her, and yet… all of those dreams they dreamt together for the future of their family… of Berk… was it all for nothing? Too many unanswered questions filed into his mind the first night, but he couldn’t handle it. He inwardly plunged every stabbing thought into the deepest depths of his mind and locked the key. He didn’t want to think anymore. He couldn’t think anymore. He wouldn’t think anymore.

All he wanted was his wife to bloom back into color and open her gods-damned eyes. Any indication to let him know she was going to be okay.

A soft knock rapped on the door behind him, stirring the Chief out of his stupor. Without releasing Astrid’s hand, he turned towards the door as it opened. His mother slipped through the small opening she made for herself and quietly found her way to the empty chair on Astrid’s left.

“No change?”

Hiccup didn’t answer.

“Healing takes time. She lost a lot of blood, and her body needs to replenish the loss. When she has enough energy to wake, she will. I know she will.” Valka rested her hand over Astrid’s arm and gave her son a soft smile. “Don’t lose hope.”

He inhaled a quiet breath and exhaled shakily as a tear fell down his cheek. He didn’t move to wipe it away. Still, he said nothing.

“Eret found him – the one responsible for Astrid’s injury.”

Hiccup’s eyes flitted directly to his mother. She had his undivided attention. “Where?” His voice was gruff, laced with deeply seeded revenge.  

“Eret is questioning him now.” Hiccup stood up so abruptly, the chair behind him screeched against the wooden floorboards. “Now’s not the time to be hasty, Hiccup. Stay here. Stay with your wife. Allow Eret to find the information you’re seeking.” She reached over and grabbed his arm to still his movements. “Please, son. Don’t be rash.”

Hiccup didn’t speak as he pulled his arm out of Valka’s pleading grip.

“Hiccup!”

He didn’t listen to her. He didn’t stay and wouldn’t stay. Not when he could get the answers he needed. Not when he could avenge his wife should anything happen to her. He didn’t need his mother to tell him where Eret was with the prisoner. All interrogations happen at the same place.

And he was going to fight fire with fire and show this assassin what it meant to mess with the Chief of Berk.

--

Without warning, the stone doors of the underground prison burst open, and the young chief stormed inside to find Eret and their newest prisoner right where he thought they would be. Eret stared at Hiccup as his next question faded into silence. “What can I do for you, Chief?”

Hiccup ignored Eret and turned his attention solely on the bounded man in black. “Who sent you?”

“He wouldn’t say,” Eret replied in the prisoner’s stead.

“Perhaps this would change his mind,” Hiccup answered quietly as he unsheathed his latest sword invention. Immediately, the blade was engulfed with flames. Hiccup inched the fiery blade closer to the assassin and watched as the flames licked at the man’s skin. The prisoner jerked away, sweat already forming at his brow. “Who sent you?!”

“I-I don’t know! I don’t know his name!”

“Liar!”

“I swear it! He wore a cloak and p-paid me to aim my arrow at the Chief of Berk.”

Eret asked the next question before Hiccup could. “Why?”

“I d-don’t know!” He scooted away from the singeing flames. “He just wanted him dead. Didn’t say way, and I d-didn’t ask. It’s not my j-job to know.”

Hiccup seethed. Eret’s hand touched his shoulder softly. “I can take things from here, Chief. Go to the Chieftess. She needs you more than ever.”

The Chief inhaled a deep, shaky breath and considered melting the prisoner’s hand so that he could never shoot a bow again. But he chose against it, and his anger flooded away at the mention of his wife. “Don’t stop until he spills everything. And when you’re done,” he glowered at the bounded assassin, “lock him up.”

“Of course.”

But as the Chief turned towards the double doors, an arrow pierced through the barred window and slammed into their prisoner’s forehead. Both Hiccup and Eret spun around, weapons at the ready. But no other arrows flew. Eret orderd guards to search the area after he asked another pair to remove their prisoner’s body. “Allow me to escort you back.”

“No need. Whoever shot that arrow is long gone.”

“HICCUP!” Valka shouted as she barreled her way into the prison. “Astrid’s awake! She’s awake!”

The peg-legged Chief never ran faster.

--

When he stormed into the small room his wife had been lifelessly sleeping in for the past three days, his heart plummeted into his stomach. Gothi was helping Astrid sit up as he thundered over to her, almost in disbelief. Her color was still paler than usual, but there she was – wide awake with a small smile blooming over her lips. Gothi grinned as the Chief raced over to his wife and stepped away to grant them some privacy.

The bandages around her midriff were fresh and clean, no longer stained with the blood seeping from her wound. He was elated, ecstatic, overwhelmed, and overjoyed all at once. He didn’t know what to say, what to do, how to act other than wrap his arms around her and pull her into a gentle but strong embrace, ever so careful of her wound.

When he released her, he pulled away slightly but didn’t let go.

“Don’t ever push me out of the way like that again,” was the first thing he said to her, his mind still reeling – wondering if he was dreaming.

“I may be your wife,” Astrid sighed softly but lifted her palms to her husband’s cheeks, “but first and foremost, I am a Shield Maiden. It’s my job to protect my chief.”

“This conversation isn’t over,” he mumbled, too exhausted to argue. He pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes – his relief overcoming him like a shockwave. He blinked away his tears and swallowed thickly. “I almost lost you.”

“I know. But you didn’t.”

He inhaled another shaky breath. “Don’t make me go through that again.”

“I won’t.” It wasn’t a promise, and he knew that. But it had to be enough for now. There were threats looming over them, and apparently, someone wanted him dead, but all of that could wait. It had to. It needed to. It must.

No other thought could possibly push him away from his wife right now. Everything was too gods-damned magnetizing. His nose lightly pressed against hers, and their breaths mingled together in the small space between them. “Good.”

The young Chief of New Berk gently tapped the last nail in place after spending the last hour sealing the rest of the windows of his home from the brutal, icy wind. Gobber was definitely right about the weather - the first snow storm of the year was going to be a nasty one. He sighed heavily and turned to stoke the fire once more.

"Has it started to snow, yet?"

"Not yet," Hiccup shook his head as he poked at the firewood, hoping the embers would catch unburned parts of wood. He tossed two more logs in the fireplace and moved the wood around once more before rising to his feet.

"Here," Astrid handed him a warm cup of water, "I boiled a fresh pot."

"Thanks," he graciously sipped on the steamy drink and followed her back to the bed. "It's late. We should get some sleep. I have a feeling we're going to be hearing a bunch of complaints tomorrow after the snow arrives."

Astrid chuckled, "You're acting like this is the first snow we've dealt with, Hiccup. We've survived harsher winters on Berk, you know."

"True, but winters have been harder without dragons around to melt pathways to each building. Every year, there's always someone who gripes and complains about the inconvenience - and I can't blame them... Winter with dragons was definitely easier."

"Everything with our dragons was easier," Astrid reminded him softly. "It's been five years... I'm sure by now everyone recognizes the sacrifices we all made to keep dragonkind safe. And if not - I'll kindly remind them with my axe."

The chief cocked an eyebrow. "Your axe? Astrid," he slowly grinned, "You're seven months pregnant... Can you even throw it in your condition?"

"Is that a challenge?"

Hiccup raised his hands in mock defense. "Oh no. Certainly not."

"I'll prove you wrong in the morning," she yawned abruptly. "But for now, I'm beat, and my feet hurt."

"Allow me to massage them, milady." Hiccup moved swiftly towards Astrid's feet before she could object and expertly rubbed his thumbs into the sole of her right foot, causing his wife to sigh with relief. Five minutes passed between the husband and wife before the chief finally returned to the bed, hoping Astrid wouldn't notice the slight aching in his knuckles.

But nothing escaped his keen-eyed bride.

She sat up a little and reached over to her nightstand, picking up the salve she usually used on her sore muscles. Without a word, she rubbed the salve over his calloused fingers, working the soothing medicine into each knuckle and joint.

"Oh!" she suddenly exclaimed, instantly grasping her belly.

"What?! What?!" Hiccup's fear was palpable.

Astrid took Hiccup's left hand and placed it over her belly. Seconds of confusion and silence passed before he felt a small pop against his palm, causing his wife to giggle.

"The kicks tickle," she replied with a quiet 'Ooof!'

Suddenly, Hiccup felt a thunderous thud against his leg that was hanging off the bed. Zephyr, tactless as ever, surprised him and his wife with her presence as she clumsily climbed onto their bed and crawled over to her mother.

"Mommy, is something wrong? Is the baby coming? Will I have a little sister or a little brother? Can I name the baby? I want to name the baby."

Astrid let out a little laugh and released Hiccup's hand to pull Zephyr in closer. She took their daughter's small hand and pressed it against the same spot from earlier. The young maiden blinked for a moment until a tiny grin bloomed from her rosy lips. "It's definitely a boy."

"Oh?" Hiccup slid the rest of the way in bed and then removed his prosthetic leg before pulling the blankets over his family. Zephyr snuggled closer to her mother, pressing her cheek on top of Astrid's right breast. "What makes you so sure of that?"

"Easy," Zephyr draped her arm over her mother's pregnant belly. Hiccup wrapped his arms around both of his two favorite girls. "Boys are weaklings, and his kicks are weak - just like yours are, Daddy."

"Oh. I see. Pick on the one with the prosthetic leg," Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Only time will tell, I guess."

"Okay, you two," Astrid let out a little laugh. "It's going to be a cold one tonight so less talking and more sleeping. Okay?"

"Aye, Aye, Milady," Hiccup replied with a mock salute before turning over to blow out the candle. Zephyr did the same on Astrid's side of the bed, and the three snuggled closer together in comfortable silence until sleep finally claimed them.

---

Well I hope you liked this little story.