#biblically accurate hiccstrid | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

p-artsypants · 24 days ago

Text

I had a craving for an arranged marriage AU, with a little twist. I have like three other scenes in mind, but no plot. So here's a blurb for now, maybe more someday IDK

This is specifically for @thereweredragonshere as I was looking at her art while writing this.

Okay thanks I love you bye

---

Quietly, so quietly, Hiccup shut his front door behind him. Then he began to tiptoe to his loft. He had been out with the Nightfury, Toothless as he named him, all day. Longer than intended. A lecture was bound to happen because of it.

“Hiccup,” Stoick stopped him, his voice cutting through the silence and crackling fire.

“Oh! Dad! I uh…I didn’t see you there…” That was a lie. Such a lie.

“Come, sit. I need a word with you.”

Hiccup closed his eyes in defeat and slinked over, sheepishly standing across the fire pit.

“Sit,” Stoick said again, his voice stern in a way that left little room for arguing.

So he obeyed, and sat on the bench, with just enough butt on the chair to be considered sitting, but he was ready to dart away at a moment's notice.

Stoick wasn’t often physically violent with him, just yelling. In the times he was physical, it was just being lifted and rag dolled out of the way like a bad cat.

“So…” Hiccup prompted, at an attempt to be casual.

“I’ve been in communication with the Shivering Shores,” Stoick went on.

Hiccup relaxed a little. This didn’t seem to concern him all that much. Perhaps his dad just wanted to talk about chief stuff.

“Oh, yeah. I saw the courier boat today.”

“We finally reached an agreement.”

“Th-that’s good! Great! An alliance? A treaty?”

“Trade agreement. Fish for supplies. The dragon raids have been harsh this year and we need all the extra supplies we can get.”

“I-I agree! I mean…I know the other night wasn’t helpful…” he gulped.

“Which brings me to the second part of the agreement.” Stoick flicked his eyes over and gazed at his son. “The part that concerns you.”

“Oh…” Hiccup squeaked.

“We’re joining our tribes in marriage. I made an offer for the Chief’s youngest daughter to be your bride. He accepted.”

“Did she?” Hiccup croaked.

“Doesn’t need to.”

Hiccup felt very cold and sank into his chair.

“But,” Stoick continued. “There’s a very specific reason for this arrangement. Chief Hofferson’s daughter, Astrid, has become somewhat famous in the archipelago for her prowess in battle. She is the best warrior on their island, bar none. And she’s your age.”

His eyes went wide.

“I told Chief Axel that I was concerned for your safety, and thought his daughter would not only be a worthy bride, but a protector for you.”

“Oh gods…”

“She said she would be honored to be your protector.”

He swallowed. “And…my wife?”

“She agreed to it.”

That would have to be enough, he supposed. “On paper?”

“All of this was through courier, yes.”

Hiccup nodded, his throat feeling too numb to swallow. It was likely that over in the Shivering Shores, Chief Hofferson was having this very same conversation with his daughter, telling her that he agreed to the marriage and wrote that she was honored to accept.

Hiccup didn’t know what she looked like, but imagined a pretty girl throwing a tantrum and destroying furniture.

Perhaps with a weapon, if the ‘prowess in battle’ was true.

“This is a good thing, son,” Stoick urged. “You’re too weak to swing a sword, you’ve been completely unprotected during dragon raids—”

“I know.”

“No, I don’t think you do.” Stoick became stern. “You are my only son. My heir. The next chief of Berk. And it seems like you’re determined to perish before you get there!”

Hiccup winced, thinking back on that roar that Toothless had unleashed in his face. That might have been his closest and most intimate brush with death. And that was just yesterday.

“Besides the dragons, we have the Outcasts and Berserkers circling us and waiting to pounce. You risking your safety with those Thor’s-damned inventions during a dragon raid is one thing, but a viking raid? They’ll be coming for you, looking for you. And Astrid will be there to protect you. Do you hear what I’m saying?”

“Yes,” he whispered, ashamed. “I’m hearing ‘bride’ but I think you mean ‘babysitter’.”

Stoick didn’t argue with that. Just tightened his mouth into a grim line.

Hiccup just further slouched, crumbling in on himself. How embarrassing! He thought there was a chance he’d have an arranged marriage, given his status, but arranged so that he had a bodyguard?

“When do I meet the lucky lady?” He attempted a quip, but his voice sounded so hollow.

“Tomorrow. And you’re wed at the end of the week.”

He made a loud noise of disgust as he keeled over, nearly falling off the bench. “Geez dad…”

“It's for the best.”

“That’s so fast!” He argued. “Can’t I like…get to know her first? Go on a hike? Have a nice candle lit dinner with mead?”

“You can do that in the week leading up to the wedding. She’ll be practically glued to your side.”

“Oh gods…”

“She won’t know anyone else here, won’t know the village layout, or the way we do things. You will teach her.” Stoick stood and lumbered over. He poked Hiccup in the chest. “And you’ll be pleasant about it.”

Hiccup huffed. “I mean I’ll try my best, but I can’t guarantee I’ll be pleasant if she treats me like the others.”

“You’ll be pleasant. Nothing else.”

Hiccup swallowed at the tone, shrinking in his seat. “Okay fine.”

“Good.” Stoick nodded. “Then off to bed with you. They’ll arrive before dinner. I’ll be off in the morning making preparations for their accommodations. I expect you to be there when the ship arrives, looking your sharpest.”

“Yes sir,” he grumbled, getting to his feet. He shuffled across the room and back to the stairs.

As he got ready for bed, and laid down to sleep, he thought about this ‘Astrid’ girl.

His bride.

A girl had never shown interest in him before, and this was likely to be the same. But he had heard that arranged marriages often worked out well, with the couple learning to love each other. Wouldn’t that be something? A girl that loved him. A girl to come home to. A girl to share his thoughts and ideas with.

A girl to share Toothless with.

No. No, that was crazy. No one, not even his wife could know about what he was planning on doing with that dragon.

But everything else?

Having a companion might be kind of nice, if he could get used to it.

And if she was the best warrior in the Shivering Shores, then she ought to be able to keep Snotlout and the Twins off his back.

Eventually, Hiccup fell asleep, feeling some form of optimism.

—

That feeling didn’t last.

He had woken up early and spent the morning with Toothless in the cove. He poured his guts out to the dragon, lamenting about how his life was completely out of his control.

Toothless had simply listened and gnawed on a stick.

Eventually, he returned to the village sometime after lunch. He couldn’t push it, knowing he was on thin ice as it was. He combed his hair and put on a clean tunic.

Then he spent an hour pacing in the square, listening for the horn that would sound their arrival.

People passed and gave him smiles and knowing looks, but didn’t say anything. That was fine. He didn’t want to talk to anyone anyway. He was too nervous.

All they cared about was the party anyway.

When the horn sounded, he felt his knees buckle. All the anxiety that had been building hit him like a hammer and he tilted sideways.

“You okay, lad? You look pale!” Gobber called. “I’ve been watching you for the last half hour. You’re makin’ me dizzy!”

“She’s here,” Hiccup breathed. “She’s here.”

“Ah, your blushing bride! Better go greet her then, ah?”

Hiccup thought he nodded, but he might have just bobbed his head like a chicken, then wobbled off to go down to the docks.

Stoick smiled when he arrived. “There you are! Right on time!”

“I’m going to be sick.”

Stoick clapped him on the back, making him swallow the bile that was rising. “It’s pretty nerve-wracking, I know, but it’ll be fine. She’s probably just as nervous.”

In a way, that helped. If Astrid was stuttering and blushing through introductions, he could handle it.

The ships came into dock, and Hiccup stood on his tiptoes to try to see over the high sides. There were several people, but he couldn’t quite pick out who Astrid could be.

The ramp fell over the side, and the party disembarked. There were a pair of soldiers out first, followed by a man who could only be Chief Axel the Arduous. He was large; not as large as his father, of course. But he wore the chief’s fur cloak and pendants, just as his father did.

Axel grinned widely. “Greetings my friends!”

“Good tidings!” Stoick grasped his hand in a strong clasp. “You had a pleasant journey?”

“Yes, very good! Good weather! Good head wind! A good omen from the gods, to be sure!”

As the chiefs talked, three women disembarked the ship. One was older, likely the chief’s wife, while the other two were teenagers. They were all blonde and blue-eyed and pretty.

And rather delicate, in Hiccup’s opinion. Not that they weren’t still bigger than him, but he didn’t get the vibe of ‘best warrior’ from any of them. They were all wearing fine dresses and giggling to each other.

“Stoick, this is my wife, Phlegma,” Axel gestured. “And my two eldest daughters, Ingrid and Sigurd.”

The two girls tittered as they looked at Hiccup. He saw one mouth to the other, “look at how tiny he is.”

Not a real ego booster, to be sure.

“I thought your youngest was to be married?” Stoick calmly questioned.

“Astrid will be out in a moment, I’m sure,” Axel sighed, a bit exasperated.

“Poor thing’s a nervous wreck,” Phlegma added. “She’s putting her armor on. She wanted to make a good impression, afterall.”

Hiccup sighed slightly, reassured that he wasn’t the only one completely psyched out of his mind.

However, his world turned upside down as a huge figure leapt from the side of the boat and landed on the dock in front of him. It was a valkyrie if there ever was one. She raised to her full height, towering over him by a foot or more. She was almost the same height as his father!

She was toned, with thick corded muscles in her arms and what was visible of her legs between her spiked skirt and studded boots. She wore studden pauldrons and gauntlets as well. Her body was thick and solid, curvy in all the right places, and no doubt trained to apex danger.

But her face was soft. Delicate cheeks and a softly rounded chin. A cute button nose with a gentle sweeping brow. Beautiful, explosive blue eyes surrounded by thick gold lashes. All of it was haloed by a swath of sunshine gold hair braided over her shoulder.

How a creature could be so scarily tough and the epitome of feminine beauty at the same time, he had no idea.

“What an entrance!” Stoick laughed.

This new warrior had a calm and cool facade as she answered, “I panicked.” Then she bowed slightly, dipping her head with respect. “Chief Stoick, it’s an honor. I’m Astrid Hofferson.”

“A pleasure, my dear!” He held out a hand.

She shook it, and Hiccup could see that her hands were rough, but not big and meaty like his father’s.

“And this is my son, Hiccup.” He placed a hand on his back.

Hiccup could only grin awkwardly, getting lost in those blue eyes. How was this girl the same age as him?

“Hello,” she said softly. Then she glanced back at Stoick, seemingly waiting for something.

Stoick nodded slowly and tried again. “This is my only son, Hiccup…your husband to be.”

She inhaled briefly at that, and let out a soft, “Oh.” Her exhale was slow and she whispered, “I see.”

Hiccup cast his gaze to the ground as he held his arm. This girl was just as disappointed as everyone else was, and he hadn’t even done anything yet.

“Is that how you would greet your betrothed?” Axel asked.

“Oh come on dear, she’s nervous,” Phlegma argued back.

But apparently Axel’s words stirred something in Astrid as she took a quick stride forward and reached out and took Hiccup’s hand. Then she leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to his cheek.

“D-Duh?” Hiccup blurted, smartly.

She smiled at him, a dusting of pink on her perfect cheeks. “Hello darling.”

“H-h-hi,” he stuttered out. “I’m Hiccup.”

She gave a nod. “Astrid.”

His feet felt like they were made of stone as he stood there, stock still and staring. And Astrid continued to hold her smile, but her eyebrow started to raise.

“Son,” Stoick patted his shoulder. “Why don’t you show Astrid around the village?”

“What? Oh! Yes! Of course! The village! My village! Where I–where we live, where you will live also…ha!” He spoke a bit too loudly, and he could feel his face burning.

Astrid just tilted her head slightly to the side as her eyes widened, but her grin got bigger. Was she annoyed and trying to hide it? She hadn’t let go of his hand yet though. “Okay, lead the way.”

He gulped, and looked over to his father.

“Go on,” Stoick whispered, making a shooing motion.

“Uh…th-this way…” he said, pulling her along by the hand.

Once they were a little ways away, Stoick and Axel resumed their conversation, but they were so loud, Hiccup could hear.

“You weren’t kidding, Stoick! He’s a fishbone of a boy! Astrid’ll take good care of him!”

Hiccup’s shoulders drooped and he turned his face away from his betrothed, ashamed, embarrassed.

Astrid didn’t seem to notice though. “What’s that?”

He glanced up where she was pointing. “Oh, that’s the Kill Ring, where we uh…kill things. Mainly dragons.”

“You’ve killed a dragon?” Her voice was curious, not skeptical, which was refreshing.

“No no, not me personally. I…I couldn’t kill a dragon.”

“Hmm,” she nodded, accepting this answer.

She was calm, cool, and collected. Apparently that’s what nervousness looked like to this hulking goddess.

Still holding her hand, he led her over to the arena, trying to think of something to say, but being too nervous to do so. Thankfully, Astrid just patiently held his hand and looked around, taking everything in. They crossed the bridge and came to stand at the edge of the arena.

Two people were sparring inside. Astrid let go of his hand to grasp at the chains of the dome. “Who are they?”

“That’s Snotlout and Tuffnut. Snotlout’s my cousin, and Tuffnut has a twin sister, Ruffnut.”

“Friends of yours then?”

“...not really, no.”

She smirked. “Good, because their technique is dog shit.”

Hiccup sputtered a laugh, unable to help himself. This drew the attention of the boys in the ring.

“Hey Useless!” Called Snotlout. “Who’s the babe?”

Hiccup flushed in indignation, but Astrid answered instead, cooly. “Astrid Hofferson, though I’ll be Astrid Haddock at the end of the week.”

“No way!” Snotlout laughed. “That’s your bride to be!? I would have thought Stoick would have found someone in your weight class at least!”

Hiccup hunched his shoulders.

Astrid just scoffed at the ring, took his hand, and led him away. “I can see why you aren’t friends with them. He’s kind of an asshole.”

“No ‘kind of’ about it, he is an asshole. Sorry you had to meet him first. The rest of Berk isn’t as terrible as that.”

“It’s fine, Hiccup. There were boys like that on the Shivering Shores too.”

Things were going okay, he thought. Could be better, but Astrid was taking a lot really well. She seemed so mature and cool, it made him extremely guilty.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted.

She merely raised an eyebrow. “For what? You didn’t do anything.”

“Sometimes that’s enough…but uh, f-for getting you into this arranged marriage. It’s probably not what you wanted to do with your life. You could be a great warrior, but…now you have to babysit me because my dad thinks I’m so useless I can’t even breathe on my own. So…sorry.”

To his surprise, she smiled at him and ruffled his hair. “First of all, did you request me as your bride? Did you ask your dad to make the contract?”

“No.”

“Thought so. So nothing to apologize there for. Second, I’m the youngest of my father’s daughters. As a daughter of a chief, it’s almost guaranteed I’ll be in an arranged marriage, so that wasn’t a surprise. But as the youngest, I probably would have been married to a much older man, maybe even a widower. He would have expected me to be barefoot in the kitchen and popping out babies the rest of my life.”

Hiccup stared at her, nodding slowly as her logic made sense. He’d heard of stuff like that happening.

“Because I’m so tall, I decided to pour all my free time into training, with the hope that my future husband would see I was a worthy warrior and I wouldn’t be trapped in the kitchen. It was a long shot, but worth it to me.”

His eyes widened. “So, you kind of got what you wanted. My dad picked you for me because of your skill, and not your status.”

“Exactly! Plus, you’re the same age as me, and you’re the heir! I’ll be chieftess someday! That’s not something I thought would happen to me.”

“Well,” he sheepishly shrugged his shoulders. “I can hope I’ll be chief. Some people in town might think differently.”

“Regardless, I’m happy.”

“Even though I’m so small? I can’t pick you up, Astrid. You’ll have to lean down to kiss me during our wedding. Isn’t that…embarrassing?”

She shrugged. “I’ve been teased about my height my whole life. Boys called me ‘Treetop’ back at home, and said I’d never get a date because men didn’t want a woman taller than them. I always assumed my husband would be shorter than me.”

“...and I kind of figured my wife would be taller.”

She grinned. “So see! We’re on the same page!”

He chuckled. “I guess so.”

“Come on! Show me around! Introduce me to your friends!”

He blanched. “Ah…yeah, my friends…”

#fanfiction #httyd #how to train your dragon #hiccup #hiccstrid #hiccup haddock #astrid hofferson #buffstrid #twigcup #biblically accurate hiccstrid #arranged marriage #AU

170 notes · View notes