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"Alright, just take a step forwards and-Ow!" Valka yelped, wincing as her foot was stepped on. She sighed and drew in a deep breath, nodding as she turned back to Hiccup, who was holding both of Valka's hands in her iron-grip.
"Sorry, sorry Mom, I don't-" Hiccup's gaze flickered down towards his feet, the boy drawing in a deep breath.
"It's alright!" Valka smiled, defining the lines by her eyes. "I used to step on your father's feet, all the time. It just takes a bit of practice."
"You see, it's cute when Astrid does it, but me? Not so much." Hiccup added with a grin.
Valka hummed as she smiled, and then guided Hiccup a step back. "Alright, it's as simple as one and two. Follow my lead." Valka held up one hand, still grasping Hiccup's, then held the other hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "Back one step."
Hiccup took a single step back while Valka took one step forwards, then took a step forwards as Valka took a step back. "There we go, now speed it up."
One, two.
One, two.
Step on foot.
One, two.
Step on foot.
One, two.
One, two.
One, two.
One, two.
"There we go! As I said, you'll be getting it soon enough." Valka smiled, nodding her head. There was a knock at the door, causing Valka's attention to avert that way. She hollered, "Come in!"
Astrid stepped inside as the mother and son were distracted by their two step, her eyes watching their feet. A smile creeping up on her face as she saw Hiccup step on Valka's toes. She chuckled, and playfully asked, "Are you trying to out-dance me at our wedding?"
"Aw, come on, how am I supposed to do that with just one good leg?" Hiccup asked, grinning from ear to ear as he turned to her. He chuckled as Valka switched her and Astrid's place by gliding away from Hiccup, then gliding back to him with a twirl and Astrid in tow.
"Valka, where did you learn to dance?" Astrid chuckled, taking Hiccup's hand while resting the other one on his shoulder. She blushed as his hand rested on her hip, both of them beaming at each other.
"Oh, I've been fond of it ever since I was young. But it was Stoick who taught me how." Valka nodded, eyes bright. "That's how we met. I was sitting alone at a wedding when I was about fourteen or fifteen, and he asked me to dance."
"How old was Dad at that point?" Hiccup chided with a grin as Astrid led him on in a two step as Valka had, his eyes glued to his feet.
"Oh, hush, he just was being nice at that point." Valka crossed her arms, her eyes following her son and soon-to-be daughter in law as they did a slow two step in a broad circle around the main room of Hiccup's home. As she watched, her eyes lit up, a sad smile coming to her face. "Actually, would you mind if I taught you one specific dance? Stoick would want you both to know it."
Hiccup's eyes turned to her, and he replied, "Mom, you don't have to, that was-"
"I think it's important." Valka nodded, then stepped forwards, placing a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "It's an easy dance for you, and I want to. I wouldn't have it any other way. Do you remember the steps?"
"Kind of." Hiccup admitted with a shrug, turning to Astrid as she chuckled.
"What kind of dance are we talking about, exactly?"
"This was me and Stoick's song. Hiccup, we'll see what you remeber, and you lead Astrid through this one." Valka turned to her son, taking a step back. She smiled, and hummed, "I'll swim and sail on savage seas, with ne'er fear of drowning."
"And gladly ride the waves of life." Hiccup continued off key, his eyes rolling at his voice as he improvised a small two step again. "If you will marry me. No scorching sun, nor freezing cold, will stop me on my, journey... Uhm..."
Astrid beamed, eyes bright as she kept her eyes on Hiccup's, his mother helped with the lyrics.
"If you will promise me your heart, and love me for eternity." Valka sighed, watching as Hiccup guided Astrid to part with him and begin circling each other from the other sides of the room, the mother grinning as tears welled into her eyes. "My dearest one my darling dear, your mighty words astound me..."
Hiccup motioned for Astrid to come to him, and then came together, linking arms above their heads, Astrid's smile never failing as a broad smile crept up onto his own lips. They did half spins around each other, Astrid nodding as she got the step.
"But I've no need of mighty deeds when I feel your arms around me!" Valka sang, grinning from ear to ear.
Hiccup guided Astrid into the next step, which was a shared kicking step that was similar to a two step, showing her as he went on singing, laughing as he did so. "But I would bring you rings of gold, I'd even sing you poetry!" He got down on one knee and spun her around him, Astrid chuckle shining through the room.
"Oh would you?" Valka chuckled.
"But I would keep you from oh, harm! If you would stay beside me!" Hiccup waved his finger the way he saw his father had, then grinned as Astrid gave a big laugh. He blushed, well knowing it was as much the other way around.
"I have no use for rings of gold,"
Astrid followed as Hiccup swept behind her, keeping up brilliantly as he did three half turns with her.
"I care not for your poetry! I only want your hand to hold-" Valka dang further, chest rising.
"I only want you near me!" Hiccup continued, spinning around with Astrid in a circle as he and Valka dang together:
"To love, to kiss to sweetly hold!
For the dancing and the dreaming!
Through all life's sorrows and delights,
I'll keep your laugh beside me!
I'll swim and sail on savage seas,
with ne'er fear of drowning
And gladly ride the waves of life
If you will marry me!"
Hiccup lifted Astrid up off the ground, then set her back down with a chuckle, a smile beaming on his face. They laughed and hugged, Valka 's mind flickering back to her and Stoick.
That was the first dance he taught her after they got married. She smiled, defining the wrinkles next to her eyes and her smile lines, a pair of stray tears streaming down her cheeks. She wiped them away, then clapped her hands together. "Alright, you two, let's try that again! Astrid, do you need help with the lyrics?"
"Probably a little bit." Astrid chuckled, drawing in a deep breath. She nodded to Valka, and added, "Thank you, by the way. For teaching us. It's... It's beautiful."
Valka pursed her lips and refused to hide her next set of tears. She pulled Hiccup and Astrid into a hug, and sighed. She shook her head as she released them, and nodded, "Alright! Let's do that again! You'll have to practice if you're going to get it right for the wedding!"