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Hiccup sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as Astrid stood before him, hands on her hips.
“Seriously? It’s only going to pick berries Hiccup, there’s nothing strenuous about that,” Astrid said, rolling her eyes.
“I know Astrid, but Gothi said you had to take it easy now. And I agree, you are literally about to give birth soon,” Hiccup replied. He folded his arms, not at all phased by the pout she gave him.
It was common knowledge that Astrid did not know how to take it easy. Things like ‘slow down’ or ‘take a break’ were normally unheard of to her. Which was why staying at home the last couple of days—doing literally nothing—had been torture for her. Yes, the pregnancy meant that she had to be more careful, but Astrid refused to be bed ridden. The least she could do was gather some supplies for their supper, mainly berries because she was currently craving them badly. Not to mention it would allow her some exercise while also giving her the opportunity to get some fresh air. Unfortunately Hiccup did not agree, believing that she was best to stay home and rest. And while Astrid appreciated his care, she was desperate to get out of the house.
“The baby is likely still weeks away. And I am literally going insane just sitting here all day.” Astrid grumbled. She slumped down in a chair, eyes moving down to her swollen belly which was stretched to full capacity. It was their firstborn child and a long awaited heir to the Hooligan tribe of New Berk. Everyone was excited for their arrival, especially Hiccup and Astrid themselves. The only thing that Astrid missed was being able to fly on Stormfly. The Deadly Nadder had been the one to sense Astrid’s pregnancy in the first place, refusing to let the blonde climb onto the saddle. It had led Astrid to believe that the dragon no longer wanted to have her as a rider, causing her to be extremely upset. Hiccup hadn’t believed that to be the case and investigated further, discovering that Stormfly was only trying to protect her. Astrid still remembered how the dragon had gently nudged her tummy, cocking her head to the side and giving a shrill squawk. She’d been so confused until Hiccup had put two and two together, telling her that she could be pregnant and that was why Stormfly wouldn’t let her ride her. From there, a trip to Gothi confirmed that theory and the two found themselves on the journey towards parenthood.
Stormfly remained protective over Astrid, nurturing even. The amount of kill that she’d brought Astrid was astounding, piles upon piles of fish and other morsels that she thought her human would enjoy. Unfortunately for her, the smell of them made Astrid’s pregnancy sickness worse, often resulting in her gagging or even vomiting.
Hiccup sighed, obviously sensing her frustrations and knew then that he wasn’t going to win this battle. “What about you and I both go and get the berries when I come back from overseeing the trade deals down at the docks? I shouldn’t be too long, and at least you won’t be going alone.”
Astrid thought for a moment, she had wanted to go before then. But that way she would at least get out of the house and he would also still be able to coddle her. A compromise. “Okay,” she said, giving him a smile, one which he returned. He was clearly happy that she’d accepted his suggestion.
“Good—because I was almost wondering whether I’d have to tie you up so you would actually rest,” he joked.
Astrid narrowed her eyes. “You could only try.”
Hiccup scratched the back of his head and chuckled lightly. “I was only joking, honey. I just want you to at least try to take it easy.”
Astrid grinned, resting her hands on top of her bump. “I know. It’s almost as funny as the joke you made about being able to finally outrun me.”
Hiccup snorted, going over to give her a quick kiss goodbye. She returned the kiss, moving her hands so he could run his own over her stomach. “Goodbye little one, don’t give your mum a hard time, you hear?” His hands splayed over the bump, waiting to see if the baby would give him the traditional kick or prod whenever he would talk to them. But there was nothing. Disappointed he moved away, eyes finding hers.
“The baby has been fairly quiet this morning,” she told him gently. “I haven’t felt much movement at all since last night.”
Hiccup gave her an alarmed look. “Do you think we should get you checked over by Gothi? Just to be safe.”
She could feel his anxiety starting to build and gave a definite shake of her head to reassure him. “No...it will be okay. Gothi already told me that sometimes they have quiet periods. It is only if I haven’t felt them move at all within a couple of hours.” That seemed to have convinced Hiccup, who then bent down to kiss Astrid on top of her golden head.
“I will see you in a while then.” He took his chief’s cloak from the coat rack that he’d built, fastening it around his shoulders before exiting the hut they shared. She could hear Toothless’s excited warble as the sound of Hiccup’s footsteps descended down the stairs, the dragon accompanying him with his chiefly duties as per usual.
Astrid stretched in the chair before awkwardly hoisting herself out of it, pondering what she should do while waiting for Hiccup to return. They had already finished preparing the baby’s nursery but she chose to give it another look over, just to make sure everything was perfect. She walked into the room and approached the cot that Hiccup had made himself, letting her hand trail over the wood. Inside was a collection of the softest furs, all ready to keep the baby warm when they arrived. She let her hand stroke the furs, wearing a smile as her eyes drifted above to the hanging mobile that was fixed to the cot. Both Hiccup and Astrid had worked on this creation together. It had various wooden dragons attached to it—a night fury, a deadly nadder, a gronkle, a hideous zippleback and a monstrous nightmare. Now their baby could gaze up and see the dragons that they would grow up loving. This was important for both Hiccup and Astrid, that their children did not have the same fear of dragons as they once did while growing up. But having Toothless, Lightfury and Stormfly practically living in their backyard was sure to prevent any sort of fear from developing. She also knew the dragons would protect this baby fearlessly, ensuring that no harm would ever come to them, something she was very grateful for. A world without the dragons seemed dim and she—along with everyone else in Berk—would likely feel lost without their presence.
With one last look at the hanging mobile, Astrid left the nursery, wincing when a sharp pain shot up her back, a tightening in her belly following immediately after. This was apparently becoming a common occurrence lately, and she had learnt not to bring attention to them after Hiccup had panicked the last time. The first time it had happened, Astrid sought out Gothi’s advice and was told that it was ‘normal’, the body getting ready for labour. Practice contractions she called it. Grunting slightly, Astrid waited for the tightening to subside and went to go visit Stormfly, who was currently resting in her makeshift barn. The Deadly Nadder looked pleased to see her, squawking happily. “Hey girl,” Astrid murmured, lowering her head to rest on hers. The dragon cooed, nudging Astrid gently. “Yeah I know, I feel bigger than yesterday as well.” Astrid went to retrieve some fish from the barrel, holding her breath as she did so. Stormfly ate the fish eagerly and Astrid stepped back to let her eat, turning her gaze to the sky. The clear, blue sky was slowly being taken over by angry looking grey clouds, indicating that a storm was well on its way. The air around them was humid, not exactly cold at least. Astrid bit her lip. If a storm was on its way, then it was unlikely she and Hiccup would be able to go for their walk to get the berries later on. And she really, really wanted those berries.
Astrid turned back to Stormfly, who had now finished her fish and was watching her curiously. She knew that she couldn’t fly on Stormfly to get the berries, not in her condition, but maybe they could walk to get them. That meant she wouldn’t be alone and she knew that Stormfly wouldn’t let anything happen to her. “Stormfly,” Astrid said sweetly. Stormfly immediately looked wary. “How about you and I go for a walk? I am really craving those berries that are up by the springs...What do you say girl? Want to go?” Stormfly gave her a disapproving look. “Please Stormfly, not you too. I’m fine, really. All I want is some of those juicy berries.” At that, Stormfly seemed to give in, bobbing her head up and down as confirmation that she would come along. Astrid clapped her hands excitedly, gesturing for the dragon to follow her. She hoped that Hiccup wouldn’t be mad that she’d gone without him. Though having some snacks for later—should they be trapped inside from the storm—would probably be a good peace offering.
Astrid and Stormfly headed on their way, waving to other vikings that passed by. It didn’t take long before they were on the path that led to the hot springs. The more they walked, the heavier the pressure felt on Astrid’s pelvis. Grimacing through the discomfort, she pressed on, wanting to get there and back before the storm hit. As if the sky read her mind, a flash of lightning cracked overhead and a low rumble sounded in the distance. Perfect, Astrid thought with a scowl. The rain would be there soon, along with the wind. Even so, they pressed on until they came to the berry bushes. Astrid couldn’t help but pop a few berries in her mouth as soon as she could, relishing in the tangy sweetness as they burst on her tongue. After indulging in a few, Astrid started picking them off the bush before placing them in Stormfly’s pouch, continuing until the pouch was filled to the top. “There we go,” she said and tied the pouch closed to prevent any from dropping. The Deadly Nadder squawked happily and flapped her wings. Astrid was unsure whether it was because they had accomplished what they had come to do or because they were now able to head home. “Come on, let’s go, girl.”
They both started back down the path when a sudden pain made Astrid freeze mid step, gasping at its intensity. Her belly tightened again, but this time it was more gradual, and much more painful. Stormfly paced back and forth in front of her, squawking nervously. Astrid tried to tell her that she was okay but the words weren’t able to come through her clenched teeth. Breathing carefully, Astrid wrapped her arms around her protruding stomach as though to support it. This certainly seemed like the type of pain that Gothi had described to her...which meant that she was in the beginning stages of labour, out there, with a storm about to hit. No , Astrid thought, she would still be able to make it home. According to Gothi, her mother and Valka, first babies could take hours, even days. Slowly the pain began to fade, allowing Astrid to continue walking just as the first rain drops began to fall.
Regret started to set in when the rain grew heavier, threatening to completely drench Astrid until Stormfly lifted a wing to act as an umbrella. “Thanks girl,” she shouted over the howling wind. Giving the dragon a grateful smile, Astrid shielded her face from the gusts, seeing New Berk in the distance. She felt hopeful that she could make it there in time. Until another pain hit, almost paralyzing her on the spot with its intensity. It started in her abdomen before wrapping around her hips and to her back. A pain unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. Grunting slightly, Astrid reached out to use Stormfly as support when her legs started to get shaky. It was clear that this baby was in a rush to get here and Astrid realised then, that she was not going to be able to make it back to New Berk.
Flying was not a possibility, not that she could even climb onto Stormfly anyway. “S-Stormfly...I...I need you to go and get Hiccup for me...I don’t think I can go on anymore.” Stormfly gave a shrill cry and craned her neck to observe Astrid who was clenching her teeth through another contraction. “Please Stormfly, I will be okay, I just really need Hiccup...and maybe Gothi.” The dragon didn’t look convinced, not until Astrid began walking again, choosing to hide next to a pile of shrubs that at least provided some shelter from the wind and rain. Standing under a tree was not an option, not with lightning cracking all around them. Right now it was all that was available.
Stormfly gave her a comforting nudge before taking to the air and flying off into the distance, leaving Astrid to cower by the shrubs, wincing when another contraction hit. They appeared to be getting closer together, not allowing any reprieve in between. This one lasted even longer, leaving her breathless by the end. She panted and slumped back in the dirt. It was not how she imagined to give birth, not outside in the middle of a storm and lying in the dirt. No, she had imagined herself lying in the bed she shared with Hiccup, comforted by warm, plush furs with a fire burning hot in the hearth. She shouldn’t have gone for those stupid berries, craving or not, it was reckless and she knew that now. Panic then began to set it. What if Hiccup didn’t make it? What if no one did and she was left to give birth out there alone. Tears formed in her eyes. She was scared, in a lot of pain, and not to mention wet.
Lightning flashed and Thunder rumbled overhead, almost like it signalled the start of the next contraction. Astrid clutched her stomach and cried out loud, writhing on the spot as though it was pain she could escape from. She was relieved when it finally ended, though became more frightened when she felt fluid gush rapidly between her legs. The waters had broken. Astrid shrunk away from the growing puddle, almost hyperventilating with pain and fear.
The sound of flapping wings made Astrid glance up at the stormy sky, seeing Toothless, Hiccup and Stormfly fast approaching. Before Toothless had even managed to land, Hiccup was already leaping from the saddle, hurrying over to her in an instance. “Astrid! Are you okay? Is it the baby?” he asked frantically, kneeling down beside her and sweeping the wet hair from her flushed, damp face.
She nodded, her bottom lip trembling. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have gone...I saw the storm coming and just thought I should go before it hits and...Arrrrgh!” She was cut off with another contraction and her head slumped on to Hiccup’s shoulder, her hand reaching out for him.
He grasped it tightly with his own and circled an arm around her for support, turning towards the dragons who were both on high alert. “Toothless, can you go get Gothi bud? And quickly.”
Toothless warbled, nodding his head before taking to the sky at quick speed.
“Shh, it’s okay. Just breathe. Gothi’s coming.” he murmured soothingly. Astrid could still hear the nervousness in his voice, but appreciated that he was at least trying to stay calm for her sake. So she followed his advice, trying to focus on breathing through the constricting pain, feeling glad that he was at least there now.
“It’s...gone,” she said between pants. She was about to turn towards him, when another sensation overcame her, the feeling to push. Tensing, Astrid clutched at his hand and felt his bones crack in protest.
“Astrid — ow !” Hiccup winced from her strong hold but made no attempt to remove his hand. “I’m going to try and carry you some of the way, we need to get out of this storm.” He moved to hook an arm underneath her legs, the other still wrapped around her back but as soon as he went to lift her, she let out a pained scream.
“No—no, it’s too late, I can’t move,” she told him through clenched teeth. “The baby is coming now, I can feel the head there.”
All effort that Hiccup had made to keep calm was gone in that moment, his face paling, skin almost looking translucent when another flash of lightning hit. The thunder that followed was deafening, making both Hiccup and Astrid flinch at the sound and cower closer together. Stormfly moved closer towards them and spread her wings to offer some extra shelter against the wind and the rain. Astrid sent her an appreciative smile at that, one that morphed into a grimace when another contraction started. She felt the baby moving down when she attempted to push, prompting her to pull at Hiccup’s hand with the hopes that he would get the hint. He did and swallowed audibly as he fumbled with her skirt and leggings, appearing to be one step away from fainting.
“Okay...I uh, I can see the baby’s head,” he told her.
Astrid just nodded in response and closed her eyes. There was no stopping this now. It was really happening. The baby was coming, regardless of whether they were prepared or not and in the middle of a thunderstorm nonetheless. The sound of flapping wings alerted them to Toothless returning, a dishevelled Gothi holding tight to his back. The old woman clambered down from the saddle, taking out a fur blanket before hobbling over at quick speed to where Astrid laid. She used her stick to prod Hiccup out of the way, impatiently. Looking relieved to let her take over, Hiccup took the blanket and wrapped it around Astrid, his lips pressing against her temple. “You can do this, Astrid.”
She didn’t reply even though she appreciated the encouragement, too busy focusing on the next building contraction. Around them, Toothless joined Stormfly in extending his wings to provide shelter, effectively blocking out any wind or rain from getting through.
Minutes went by, or maybe it was even longer, but with it went the last remaining energy that Astrid had left. Slumping down in exhaustion and ignoring Gothi’s protesting tap against her leg, Astrid glanced up, seeing the dragon’s peering down at her with looks of concern. Stormfly lowered her head, nudging Astrid’s gently, as though telling her rider that she was there for her. Hiccup murmured words of comfort and encouragement in her other ear along with Toothless giving her a gummy smile. Their support gave her a renewed strength to continue pushing and she did so, whimpering at the burning pain when the baby’s head finally crowned. Gothi gestured for her to stop pushing and she did so gladly, slumping against Hiccup.
Once Gothi tapped her again, it only took one more push for the baby to slide from her body and into Gothi’s awaiting hands. There was a stunned silence from them all, save for Astrid's panting and then the baby gave a shrill cry, clearly unhappy with the new, unfamiliar environment in which they’d been born into.
“It’s a girl!” Hiccup said with a voice full of emotion.
Astrid grinned, still trying to catch her breath and awkwardly fumbled with her top to lift it up, appreciating Hiccup’s assistance when he offered. His mouth fell open in awe when Gothi lifted their newborn daughter onto her softening abdomen, watching as she curled up against her mother. Astrid couldn’t stop grinning, arms wrapping around the little bundle to cradle her closely. She couldn’t believe she’d done it.
Gothi took out a dagger, requesting for Toothless to sterilize it using the heat from the plasma buildup in his mouth. She then brought the dagger to the umbilical cord before pausing and offering it to Hiccup instead. He hesitated for only a moment before taking the dagger and severing the cord where Gothi pointed. The baby hadn’t even stirred, too busy cradled against the warmth of Astrid’s chest and taking comfort in the familiar sound of her heartbeat.
Hiccup turned to retrieve more fur blankets from Toothless’s saddle and quickly covered both Astrid and their new daughter with them. Astrid watched as he tenderly stroked the baby’s head where it was covered in auburn hair that matched his own, his face still mirroring the amazement and adoration that was likely on hers. “I can’t believe that actually happened. I literally gave birth out in a storm,” Astrid told him.
At that, Hiccup’s face turned serious. “Yeah...about that. Should we agree that maybe, just this once, you should’ve listened to me? Hmm?”
Astrid lowered her head to gently nuzzle the baby in her arms, feeling guilty. “I know, I should’ve waited...I’m sorry...I just really wanted those berries.”
Hiccup sighed and bent forward to rest his head against hers. “I am just glad that you are both okay. That’s all that matters. Did you at least get your berries?”
“I did. They are in Stormfly’s saddlebag.”
After the baby had nursed, Gothi tapped Astrid’s leg to get her attention and gestured for Hiccup to take the baby. Astrid passed her over to him, fussing over the blanket to make sure it covered her.
The afterbirth was delivered successfully and Gothi placed it somewhere before monitoring the flow of blood to ensure that she was not at risk of bleeding out. The rain had finally stopped, taking the storm clouds along with it. The dragon’s lowered their wings as the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, showering them with warm rays of sunshine. Stormfly lowered her head and nudged Astrid affectionately, almost as though she was giving her praise. It amused Astrid, but she took the affection gratefully. Toothless moved forward to do the same and then glanced at the small bundle in Hiccup’s arms, crooning softly. Hiccup moved the blanket to reveal the baby’s face, allowing him to get a good view.
“What do you think, bud?” Hiccup asked.
Toothless crooned in response, giving him a gummy smile and making them all laugh.
After a while, Gothi gave Astrid the all clear to slowly stand up, with the instruction to do so slowly. She did as slowly as she could, body still weak and sore from having given birth not even an hour before. It was decided that she and the baby would ride on Stormfly, but not fly, all agreeing that it would be even more dangerous. But Astrid did not have enough energy to walk the remaining distance back to New Berk and even though it wasn't going to be a comfortable ride, it seemed like the only solution.
Stormfly was especially careful and made sure not to jostle them on the way back to Berk, which was rather good considering Astrid could only hold on with one arm, the other cradling the baby. Hiccup and Toothless walked next to them, the former giving protective glances every now and again. Gothi rode on the back of Toothless, her face passive as always as they entered the village.
They were immediately surrounded by concerned vikings and Hiccup had to hold his palms up to ward them off, explaining that the baby was here, but that he and Astrid needed some time alone before a formal announcement was made. There were disappointed groans, but they relented, moving back to allow them space to continue to their hut. Gothi told them that she would check in with them soon and before they knew it, they were left alone, just the five of them.
Astrid sat in the chair, eating her share of the berries while nursing the baby as Hiccup looked on. “What should we name her?” Astrid asked after a while. They’d discussed names beforehand, but now that the moment had actually come, she wasn’t overly sure of what to call her.
Hiccup thought for a moment. “How about...Zephyr?”
Astrid’s lips lifted into a smile. “Zephyr huh, I quite like it.”
“Then Zephyr Haddock it is.” Hiccup moved forward to join them, his hands covering Astrid’s as they both peered down to gaze lovingly at their new daughter.
“You know, I’m so grateful that Stormfly was there with me. If she hadn’t been…” She trailed off, eyes coming to meet Hiccup’s.
“I’m glad she was with you as well.” Hiccup agreed. “And I’ll bet that Stormfly will always continue to be there for you, and Zephyr. And so will Toothless.”
“And you?” Astrid teased.
“And me.” Hiccup chuckled. He kissed the top of her head and they both resumed gazing at their new daughter, smiling when she yawned and pursed her little lips in a pout that almost resembled Astrid’s from earlier that morning.