Here begins our story, first I will tell you a little about Astrid, who she is and how her life has been in Keikruk, as you will see Hiccup and Astrid do not know each other. I tried to rescue Astrid's personality in the first film and in Berk's dragon's series.
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Chapter 2. Astrid, princess of Keikruk.
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Part 1. It was a rainy night in the village of Keikruk
Keikruk was one of the most beautiful places of the great continent, it would be great if it belonged to some continent ...
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It was a rainy night on the island of Keikruk. Queen Amira slowly descended from her dragon, avoiding to hurt the small pink bundle that she carried in her arms. It had been a long battle against the traffickers, cruel men who sold women and children as slaves, who hunted dragons and marketed whatever they could get out of their bodies. They had been enemies for decades and were really far from defeating them. The inhabitants of Keikruk, were limited only to rescue the slaves, return them to their homes and relocate those who had nowhere to return.
The queen unwrapped the bundle she carried in her arms, revealing a beautiful baby with faint golden hair, who slept peacefully reclining in the breast of her savior.
- You have brought a baby with you - commented a middle-aged woman as she helped the queen to descend from her dragon
- I found her in one of the dealers' boats, nobody seemed to know anything about her, she only has a bracelet with her name on it ... Astrid Hofferson.
-I hope it is enough to find her family - the woman replied - She is too young to stay with us, for now we must take refuge and find a surrogate mother in the village.
The women went to the great hall, a tall building located on a winding mountain, from which the whole village could be seen, and next to it was a modest house, which the queen of Keikruk entered, once inside, she hurried to check the little creature in search of some sign of abuse, seeing her healthy, she changed her wet clothes and wrapped her in some furs. The baby opened its big blue eyes, which were flooded by crying. The woman, inexperienced in everything related to motherhood, ran to the great hall in search of help. Those who were in the huge dome laughed to see their queen enter without knowing what to do with the raging creature, tried everything, but the girl had no intention of keeping quiet. Each woman sang a lullaby from her origin tribe, but the effort was unsuccessful.
Finally, the queen took a harp that was in the corner designated to the instruments, and played a soft melody. Upon hearing the sound, the little girl began to laugh out loud and the women smiled in joy. The girl's laughter was particularly beautiful and only then could they appreciate her beautiful eyes, which were so beautiful blue, that it resembled the color of the sea as it merged into the horizon with the sky.
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Part 2. There is a rare girl in the Keikrukvillage
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It had been about 3 years since the arrival of little Astrid in the Keikruk town. The queen, unable to find her family, decided to take care of her personally. From her short childhood, Astrid showed signs of being different, she was particularly smart. At her tender age she was already able to read complex texts and knew many words in other languages. When the queen was so busy in her work, each available woman helped in her care, which gave the girl a great cultural mix, which was reinforced more and more with the passage of time.
- Queen Amira Have you seen Astrid? - asked a plump woman.
- I thought she was with you - the queen replied.
- I went to the kitchen to check the bread, she stayed in the room entertained with the reading, but when I left, she was not there anymore.
when they were not able to find her in either of the two houses, the women undertook their search for the town, but nothing would prepare them for what they would find. The dragon stable was the only place they had not searched. When they got there, they found the girl sitting in the center of the place, happily playing with the rescued dragon cubs, and embracing a deadly blue Nader. Around them great dragons were reclining, creating a protective circle around the young and protecting Astrid as one of them. It was really difficult to get the girl out of there, because when the two women approached the dragons that had been peaceful, they became enraged and began to bellow, releasing fire from their nostrils. The situation was tense, and it only calmed down when the girl voluntarily walked towards her mother. The dragons made way for her as if the little girl was their alpha. The women were stunned and decided not to talk about what happened.
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Part 3. There is a weird dragon that follows me everywhere.
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It was little Astrid's sixth birthday, and all she wanted was for her mother to let her train with the warriors of her tribe.
-I have told you a thousand times that you are very young - said the mother
- I deserve it, I've studied every book you've given me - the girl replied - I've also been training in my room, and you know I'm talented. I've practiced with the sword, but now I want to be an expert with the ax, I do not think you want me to open a hole in the wall, do you? -Said the girl in a playful tone.
- It's dangerous! There are many other activities in which you could train, all jobs are important. If you want to be a queen someday you must understand it.
- That's why I do not want to be queen - said the blonde pouting - I will be a warrior! I will save children and dragons as you do, but above all, I will fly over Stormfly and travel the world.
- You know that dragons are not pets - his mother replied seriously - they are sent from the gods to protect us, but above all to show us the way. They are sacred to us and I am surprised that you do not understand it yet. Stormfly will grow, and when the time comes, she will depart to her world with her own.
Upon hearing her mother, the girl broke down in tears and ran to her room, where she shut herself in tears. - Stormfly is my best friend and she would not leave me - she thought to herself. And in an act of disobedience she took the axe that she had hidden under her bed and ran into the forest, escaping through the window of her room.
Keikruk had a thick forest on the outskirts of the town and behind him there was only water and occasionally, the head of the creature that supported the great island on its back. Astrid went deep into the vegetation quickly and began to throw her axe against the trees, creating insane marks for a girl of just 6 years. The afternoon was dying slowly and it was almost time to go back, she was still angry with her mother, but the blackberry pie waiting for her at home was worth swallowing her pride. Astrid took a great impulse and threw her axe with all her strength, but great was her surprise when she saw a little white dragon come out in the bushes, which if she did not move would be beaten. Anguish seized the girl, who screamed as loud as she could to scare the dragon away. As he listened to her, the creature just turned its head and fired a mysterious flame at the axe, undoing the mango wood immediately. The dragon already safe ran to the girl and clung to her leg as if it depended on his life.
Astrid was frightened, she had always been a friend of the dragons. Truthfully, more than humans, but she had never been bitten. Curiously the bite did not hurt, it just seemed that the dragon was not going to let go. The little girl tried every trick she knew to free her leg. However, the more she tried to free herself, the dragon clung more to her leg, finally and almost instinctively, Astrid bent down to try to lift the animal and it released her leg. When she was free, she released the dragon and ran at full speed to her house. She sneaked in through the window, and watched the white dragon sleeping on her bed, since then it never separated from her again.
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Part 4. No man has been born capable of snatching me heaven.
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Astrid was already 15 years old, and despite the efforts of her mother had become a warrior. Each inhabitant of Keikruk had an art, a trade and a profession. The art was that with which you stole smiles from yours. The girl had learned to play the harp and the violin. However, her true talent was in the composition, creativity overflowed from her. The trade was that with which you earned money and contributed to the economy of the tribe, Astrid was particularly bad in this part, when she went to the northern towns, she used to carry the harp and sing in the squares. However, she did not earn much despite her talent. Many people came to listen to her, but in her words "they were stingy", so she ended up changing jobs and becoming a researcher of dragons, after all it was something that she was good at, although she did not win a coin. And finally, his profession, warrior. At 15 she was already involved in complex missions, she had been chosen as the best rookie, which earned her a place in the big leagues. Her strategy was impeccable and despite her inexperience, her suggestions had led to important victories over hunters and traffickers.
Astrid was always accompanied by two dragons, a beautiful blue Nader, Stormfly, and a strange white dragon, which was not usually seen by people outside the tribe the white warriors. There were never others of her kind, no matter how much she travelled and investigated. Winstar, as she decided to call her, belonged to a species called by her tribe as Light fury, since the frosty white colour of her, allowed her to take refuge in the clouds and camouflage herself with the light, and her powerful shot of plasma was stronger than the attacks of other dragons.
Astrid had trained in the knowledge of dragons by visiting a hermit who had a dragon's shrine beyond the barbarian archipelago, Val as she used to call her, she was an expert. The woman had lived with dragons only for years, and had taught the young girl everything she knew about these magnificent creatures.
The blonde, despite her youth, had already observed the horrors of the world, many times had had to go to the villages to give a dignified farewell ritual to those who had been cruelly massacred by the traffickers, mainly old people, older men and women, who could not make any profit. The young woman, not only growing in age, had learned to speak three languages fluently, which made her a great support when communicating with the rescued. She was now a strong and independent woman, so she was seriously considered to become a future queen, even though she hated the idea.
The warrior had stopped going with her friends to sing to the tribes, she was tired of the insinuations and brazen comments she received from the men of the town, but above all the scolding and punishments she received for hitting them with the handle of her axe. There was no house in Keikruk that had not been washed by the teenager as a punishment from the queen.
Ventino, her closest human friend and companion of mischief, used to make fun of her, mentioning how she would be an excellent wife, since as part of her punishment she had helped in the making of clothes, the kitchen, but above all the cleaning. Astrid shrugged her shoulders and mentioned that there was no man born capable of making her fall in love, but above all there was no one capable of snatching the sky from her.
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Part 5. The rare girl has become in a princess
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A loud sound was heard coming from the largest house in the town of Keikruk, the women who were walking towards the great hall smiled when they saw a young blonde woman come out with a big jug of her famous Yaknog. A drink whose bitter taste would make the strongest of men cry. When they exchanged glances, they gave each other an accomplice smile, knowing that this concoction had been specially prepared for one of the young women's suitors.
"Astrid, will not you think about bringing that drink to the north market, or will you? - A middle-aged woman asked her eighteen-year-old daughter.
-Mother, for your information my Yaknok is very popular among the locals, everyone comes to try it when they find out that it is prepared by me, and with it I make sure not to be courted by them again. - the girl replied chuckling.
- Anyway, today nobody will go to trade. You have been selected as a possible future leader of Keikruk. You must honour the trust that your people have placed in you. You will accept your designation in case you are chosen to wear the princess's ring.
- Sure, because my appointment has nothing to do with the fact that my mother is the current queen! -The blonde replied with a frown.
- Today will be revealed to you the virtues that the old women saw in you, until then stop underestimating you. You are one of our best warriors, so go prepare yourself and go to the great hall, I still have some work to do. By the way, I'll take Winstar and Stormfly with me, just in case you decide to escape. - The woman with deep honey-coloured eyes and black braided hair winked at her daughter and joined the women who watched smiling.
The great hall of Keikruk village was undoubtedly majestic, throughout the high plaster ceiling, different moments of the creation of the universe were recorded. But what stood out most in the great dome, were the women and the dragons that were inside. There were women of different ages and physical features, each and every one dressed in white.
The door of the great hall opened to give way to the beautiful blonde who was pulled inwards by her best friend Ventino. Astrid, she wore her hair only with a small crown-shaped braid, leaving her long blond hair to fall on her hips. Contrary to the other women in the room, only her blouse was white and a thin metal plate protruding from her neck protected her, implying that her armour was under that garment. The skirt itself was formed by plates of the same metal joined gracefully, each adorned with beautiful gold edges at the tips.
"Astrid Hofferson, we were waiting for you to read the verdict! - said an old woman from a small platform.
- I offer apologies for my delay, but as you will understand when you are all here our borders are unprotected. So I took the job of doing a round of surveillance, and as you will see my two companion dragons are sleeping peacefully with my mother, so I had to walk, -said the girl innocently making women burst out laughing at the intervention of the young woman, who took her place next to the other two candidates and waited for the intervention of the old woman, she crossed her fingers not to be selected.
- It has not been an easy decision! - said the old woman to the gathered people - the three candidates are possessors of great virtues and abilities, which make them worthy of guiding us along the path that the gods have selected for us.
- As you know we are a village of only women, each and every one of you has been born in a different tribe to ours, but the war and the avarice of the humanity have deprived us of our homes. All of us here are orphans of our biological family, but we are sisters in our pain, joys and dreams. We have decided to live together, in peace, as a sign of the ability to love despite differences. But above all, we have decided to impart the teachings of the gods, who chose us to take a message to the world and punish those who mistreat creation. Today we have selected who will inherit the leadership of our tribe in case our current queen is prevented from continuing to govern.
- There are no blood ties between us and even if there were, being the son of a boss does not make you fit to lead a tribe. We have chosen generation after generation to the most skilful, intelligent and talented of our warriors, and these three young women have been chosen by you. However, we only have to select one, whom we will call princess from here on, and reign when she is crowned as such.
-"Astrid Hofferson stand up!" -Said another old woman, pointing to the young woman with her cane. - "You have shown the intelligence to guide us to victory, and the sensitivity to guide us on the path of light. You have been respectful of our traditions, without this preventing you from thinking for yourself and fighting for what you feel is right. You are one of our most capable warriors, and one of our most beloved sisters, but above all, you have the gift of surrender, every step you have taken in your way has been to honour life, you have loved and protected yours, and that's why we've considered that you're the one to wear the princess's ring! come closer!
The blonde walked surprised to the stand where a little girl was holding a silver ring, which was placed on the middle finger of her right hand. Once this was done, the old women who were next to her, watched with amazement as some letters were carved in the ring, and the image of a golden lily was established in the centre, next to the words "real love". The women watched in astonishment what happened. However, a great joy invaded them, because they knew that they had found the promised princess in the legend.
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Author's notes:
Keikruk, means Southern Sky, and that's where the gods Josh, Kre and Akainik come from, who are brothers by the way. In the next chapter we will have a bit of Hiccup, and finally and without further ado we will let our unique couple get to know each other.
The yaknog is the drink that Astrid prepares in the short "the gift of night fury", we all remember how our beloved Hiccup drank it.
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