This is set in the period after Fearless Finn Hofferson froze against the Frightmare.
Astrid Hofferson picked up her axe and trudged out of her house. It had been a week since the family had buried Finn Hofferson after he had been killed by the Frightmare and the events had scarred the young 5 year old girl.
Uncle Finn was her favourite Uncle and he had been the one to encourage her to become a warrior just like him. However now he was dead and the whole village was talking about how he had frozen in fear against the Frightmare, with the result that the Hofferson family were now shamed by the incident.
Astrids real name was Astrid Hoffersdottir, however due to her boyish attitudes and fighting spirit her Uncle had joked that she acted more like a boy than a girl and hence the name had stuck.
Walking through the village she could hear the whispers and heads turning as she passed by no doubt commenting on her family's misfortune and how this would affect the young girl.
'….I heard he tried to run away rather than fight it'
'..the girl saw everything, she will never have the stomach to be a warrior now, best she give up.'
'She's got no hope of being married off. Who would want a daughter from a family of cowards?'
Closing her eyes, she felt a tear trickle down her face as she thought of her Uncle, her family and the words everyone was saying.
'Hey, what's the matter baby? Crying because your Uncle was a coward?' came the cruel jibe.
Opening her eyes, she came face to face with Snotlout who was grinning from ear to ear.
'Real Vikings don't cry…but then again, your family aren't real Vikings are they?'
Astrid wiped the tears from her eyes and frowned.
'My family aren't cowards.' She snapped as she tried to hit Snotlouts foot with the butt of her axe handle but missed. 'I'll show you; I'll show you all. The Hoffersons aren't cowards!' she yelled as she ran off towards the woods.
Sitting on a tree stump in the woods, Astrid thought about the events of the week.
'Everyone thinks my family are afraid and not real Vikings. They think I'm weak.'
'No more! From this day Astrid Hofferson will not show weakness, will not cry or back down from anyone.' She vowed. 'I'll show them, I will be the best fighter Berk has ever seen. And one day, I will defeat the Frightmare and regain my families honour.'
Every day after that, come rain or shine, Astrid practised with various weapons (favouring her axe over all others) as well as stamina and strength training to be the best warrior she could be.
Eventually after a few months, the comments and whispers of that fateful day subsided, being overtaken by other things. Mainly the various problems and disasters of the chiefs only son Hiccup.
Whilst Astrid and Hiccup had played with each other before the night the Frightmare came, since then Astrid had shunned the boy in favour of her training until one day she just stopped seeing or interacting with him.
Conversely, Hiccup lost one of the only friends he had, with Fishlegs soon leaving him to hang around with Snotlout and the Twins.
Without this friendship and distraction, Hiccup set to work with drawing, daydreaming and inventing, with the inevitable results. Although much of this was to try and get the attention of a certain blonde-haired girl or his own father.
As Astrid grew up, she realised that she was actually quite capable of becoming an excellent warrior and often would beat children older than her in fights or weapons training.
This also proved useful once she reached 12, as she began to attract the attentions of the boys as she hit puberty.
One particular boy was a constant pain and was always pursuing her or making suggestive comments. That boy was Snotlout, the Chief's brother in laws son.
The boy who once laughed and insulted her and her family that week after her uncle died now thought he had a chance to be with her.
The thought disgusted her. Admittedly, the Hoffersons and Jorgensons had never had good relationships, however it would have been a positive move for her family to be associated with the Jorgenson clan and remove the stain of shame from their name, but despite this having been mentioned by her parents, Astrid refused, stating she wanted to be a Shieldmaiden, and that boys would only distract her from her goal.
Her parents were unhappy but realised that it was impossible to argue or force their strong willed and stubborn daughter into anything. Not that anyone could force Astrid, physically or otherwise, to do anything she did not want to do.
One day, whilst Astrid was training in the woods, she heard voices and saw Snotlout and the twins dragging a terrified Hiccup along. The smaller boy was yelling to be let go of, but the three larger children just laughed.
Astrid tried to ignore it, wanting nothing to distract her training, but a small part of her felt sorry for the boy.
Sighing, Astrid grabbed her axe and set off after the group, hoping to dissuade them from doing too much to Hiccup. Despite no longer hanging around him or even associating with him, she still remembered the young boy who used to play Viking and Dragons with her when they were small.
Reaching a clearing, she saw Snotlout hanging Hiccup into a tree branch, laughing as he struggled to get free.
'There, maybe that will keep you out of trouble Useless.' He laughed 'Someone may come and get you later….or maybe we will leave you for the wolves.' He sniggered.
'Snotlout' Astrid sighed. 'Let him down. You know the Chief will only get us to search for him later.' She said, feigning disinterest. She still did not want rumours to go round that she liked the boy. That certainly wouldn't help her family's reputation.
'Maybe I will, maybe I won't' joked Snotlout. 'Are you going to make it worth my while, babe?' he leered.
Astrid shuddered inwardly at the term but played along.
'Tell you what Snotlout, if you get him down and let him go, I'll give you something' she grinned, hoping he would take the bait.
'You two, bring him down' he yelled to the twins, who proceeded to remove Hiccup from the tree and drop him on the ground. The small boy got up and ran as fast as he could back to the village, whispering a barely heard 'thank you' to Astrid.
'Well then, babe, where's my prize' grinned Snotlout.
'Close your eyes then' she sweetly smiled.
Snotlout, full of raging hormones closed his eyes and puckered his lips anticipating a kiss from the beautiful Shieldmaiden.
His wish was rudely shattered when Astrids fist connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling across the ground.
'That's for the stuff you said about my family years ago.' She growled 'and this..' she slammed the butt of her axe handle into his stomach. 'Is for thinking I would EVER want anything to do with a son of a half-troll like you!'
Snotlout whimpered as he tried to get back up. Astrid meanwhile glared at the twins.
'I suggest you get out of my sight, unless you think the two of you have a chance against me in a fight!'
The twins fled, leaving Astrid and Snotlout along in the woods.
'Now then Snotlout, if I ever hear you suggest anything to me about us being together, I will hurt you in ways you can only imagine.' She whispered as she brandished her axe against his head.
With that Astrid stormed off, her training regime ruined for the day, leaving Snotlout to crawl back to the village in pain.
It was another year before Snotlout tried anything with Astrid again, however this time it was worse.
Spitelout, Snotlouts father had been pestering him with regards to finding a future wife, after some of the older children had recently married.
Snoutlout, had been thoroughly shaken by his father When in temper and anger at his son's inability to successfully woo a girl Spitelout had insisted he go out and find someone and make her his betrothed.
To Snotlout, only one girl was good enough for him, Astrid. And in typical fashion he mistook what his father was meaning in terms of making her his.
Everyone knew that the young Shieldmaiden would train for up to 4 hours a day in the woods, so it was easy for Snotlout to find her.
He watched as she threw her axe at trees and targets, performed press-ups and handstands at a rate that would fatigue most men and generally wear herself out in her training.
At the end, she was tired and hot. Removing her armoured shoulder pads, she slipped off her green patterned top to wash the sweat out of it in a nearby stream.
Distracted, she didn't hear Snotlout sneak up behind her and grab her in a bear hug.
Now Astrid was strong, strong enough to easily throw a 70kg Snotlout over her shoulder. However, her arms ached and she was tired, so she struggled as the last of her energy expired.
Snotlout slammed the poor girl face down in the mud and whispered in her ear.
'My dad says I should have a girl, and you are the only one good enough for me. Now I'll give you a chance to say yes to be my betrothed, or else I will make sure no one else wants you!'
Astrid gasped. He wouldn't, he didn't mean…!
Her silence however convinced Snotlout that she would not consent to be his betrothed, at least not willingly and the next thing she knew, her armoured skirt was being pulled down roughly.
This spurred her body into action and energy and strength even she didn't know she still had coursed through her veins and muscles.
Pushing with all her might against the ground with her arms she managed to push herself up, along with the full weight of Snotlout before using her legs to flip him over her head and onto the ground in front of her.
The boy landed with a thump on his back, still clutching her skirt as Astrid flipped herself onto her feet and glared at him, her fists raised protectively.
'You Thrice cursed whoreson, you were going to rape me!' she yelled.
Snotlout stood up. 'I told you to say yes, you didn't answer, it was your fault.' He said, defending his actions.
'Well, seen as your so keen to have me, let's have some fun. Though I don't think you'll enjoy it once I'm finished with you.' She threatened.
Launching herself at him she smashed her fists into his stomach and face, knocking out a tooth and winding him.
Her punches fell like lead weights, battering the larger boy, who was unable to do much more than try to weather the powerful blows.
After 5 minutes of experiencing the full, unrelenting fury of Astrid, Snotlout eventually saw an opening and fled, dropping her skirt.
Astrid waited a minute to ensure she was finally alone, before collapsing in a heap, her final reserve of energy depleted.
Her entire body ached, and her fists were cut and bleeding, but beyond that she was unscathed.
She smiled as she lay on the grass. She had defended her honour against a brutal and degrading attack from the strongest boy in the village and done so easily and without receiving a hit against her. Finally, she could say she was a warrior. She had been in combat for her life and won.
Whilst she hated Snotlout for what he had tried to do, a small part was thankful for the opportunity to finally put her training into practice in a real-life fight for her life. (Even though she didn't think Snotlout would have actually tried to kill her).
Picking up her clothes she got dressed and brushed off the worst of the dirt before grabbing her axe and walking back to the village, her head held high.
Although she would never tell anyone about what had happened, she strode into the village like a victorious warrior, glaring at anyone who got in her way or looked at her dishevelled appearance.
She knew Snotlout would never tell what had occurred as the embarrassment and shame of being beaten by a girl, (even if it was Astrid) would be too much for him to stand.
Walking to the forge she entered and called out for Gobber as she swung her axe into a tree log lying on the ground just inside the door.
However, instead of Gobber, a small mop of brown hair appeared as Hiccup came out from a small room at the back of the forge.
'Hi Astrid, Astrid Hi. Hi.' he stuttered.
'My axe is blunt, it needs sharpening. Now.' She ordered, still on an emotional high from the fight.
Looking at the shocked and slightly scared/ sad/ surprised look on Hiccups face. (She really couldn't read the boy very well) she calmed down a bit and added 'Please.'
Hiccup obliged, and, with great difficulty lifted her axe to the grindstone and began to sharpen it.
Astrid waited in silence as the sound of metal of stone reverberated around the room, until finally it was finished.
'It's done Astrid.' Spoke Hiccup softly, almost afraid to talk to her.
'Thanks' she replied, taking the axe out of his struggling arms with one hand and turning to leave.
'Astrid' Hiccup whispered, making her stop. They boy rarely spoke and certainly not to her, unless it was regarding her weapons.
She turned around to face him, realising how small he was compared to her. Although neither had finished growing, she was almost a foot taller than the boy at 5' 6"
'Yes Hiccup' she asked.
'Um, well, I just.. er…' he stuttered.
'Spit it out Hiccup' she snapped.
'Well, I just wanted to say, thank you, for that time a year ago when you saved me from Snotlout.' He whispered.
The name Snotlout made Astrid stiffen and she cast her mind back to try and remember what Hiccup was meaning. Finally, she recalled the day when she stopped the three bullies from leaving Hiccup in a tree and smiled when she remembered punching Snotlout in the face.
Whilst the event was but a distant memory to her, it obviously had made a great impression on the boy, and it must have taken him this long to pluck up the courage to thank her properly.
Was she really that scary that Hiccup was afraid to talk to her?
'It's alright Hiccup, it was nothing, really.' She replied.
'But not to me.' He replied. 'That was the first time anyone ever stood up to help me. The first time anyone (apart from Gobber) cared enough to help me.'
Astrid stood silently as she began to appreciate the ramifications of that one act and smiled sadly at Hiccup.
'Hiccup, unlike them, I don't hate you or dislike you. You were being attacked and as a warrior I should defend others from such things. But you need to grow up and embrace the Viking way of things.' She spoke. 'Try to be …I don't know, more like us.'
Hiccup smiled and nodded sadly.' I'll try, but I'm not strong or brave like you, the only way I know how to fight is with my inventions'
Astrid smiled again at Hiccup, noticing for the first time the hope and desperation to be accepted in his green eyes. Eyes that seemed to reach into her soul and give her a warm feeling that she couldn't explain.'
'Right, well thanks for the axe sharpening. Bye Hiccup.' She quickly said as she left the forge and Hiccup who continued to stare at his crush.
'She spoke to me; she actually spoke to me. And not to tell me off or anything.' He thought, smiling a smile that stayed on his face the rest of the day.
After a few weeks, Snotlout recovered from the beating Astrid had given him, although as far as anyone knew, he had fallen down a hill and injured himself.
Astrid however continued to punch or throw Snotlout anytime her tried to touch her or make suggestive remarks to her, in case he ever got the idea again that she may be interested in him.
As these incidents often took place in public, Astrid soon became known as violent and easy to anger by the other people in the village, and whilst they would still ask for or accept help from her, even going as far as to make her the leader of the fire patrol team, many villagers would steer clear of the young girl and warn their children away from associating with her.
As a result, Astrids formative teenage years were lonely, without any real friends. Her parents were concerned that she was damaged or broken by the events of her uncle and the shame that still lay on her family's name and worried that she would never marry nor be able to settle once they were gone.
Rumours even spread that she had become a berserker, not of the tribe, but within her own kind. It was known that some people who experienced battle or trauma would become unhinged and enraged to the point they could only see blood and lingered for glorious death in battle.
Astrid knew this was not the case, but it saddened her to see how her parents worried about her and how others avoided or were nervous around her, especially when she was carrying her axe (which was most of the time).
By the time Astrid was 14 she was considered one of the best warriors in Berk, even including many of the adults. Her speed, agility and skill with most weapons was astounding, however still she was refused to be allowed to join in the fighting whenever a dragon attack occurred, still being relegated to firefighting with the other teenagers in the village.
Whilst her ability to command her team was impressive, much of this was because no one would dare to argue or disobey her orders for fear of injury. One look from an angry Astrid was enough to make most people think twice.
Whilst this helped improve the status and honour of the Hofferson household somewhat, the stain of her uncle's shame still lingered and would not be removed until she could prove that she and her family were indeed capable and brave fighters and (to Astrids mind) defeat the Frightmare.
As such, Astrid longed for the day she would be allowed to participate in dragon fighting in the arena and finally show everyone how good she was and become the Shieldmaiden she had aspired to be.
That day finally arrived and the teenagers, including Hiccup were let loose on Dragon fighting. However, to her annoyance she was not excelling at the training.
That honour was reserved to Hiccup, who seemed to be developing an unnatural knack for dealing with the dragons at each test.
Astrids anger finally boiled over when she snuck off to follow the boy and came across the reason for his sudden success. Toothless!
Astrids first thought at realising Hiccup was befriending a dragon, the enemy of the tribe was to report the fact, regardless of the results this would have to the boy.
Whilst she still remembered that small lad she played with when she was 5 and the one who thanked her for saving him, she couldn't reconcile that with this treachery.
However, Hiccup and Toothless had other ideas.
Being left hanging from a tree, nearly 100ft off the ground was at that time, the most terrifying thing ever to happen to the girl, although from the language she used, you wouldn't have thought she was scared.
Even Hiccup was wary of letting her get onto Toothless, not entirely sure if the blonde girl wouldn't just lop his and Toothless' heads off there and then.
However, that first flight, changed everything.
Astrid could never have imagined the feeling that first flight on Toothless could give her and in that one moment almost everything she felt about dragons faded away.
They were intelligent creatures, and felt love, fear and happiness the same as them.
She was delighted that Hiccup had shown her this side of them, but also confused and angry.
Why, if they were so intelligent, did they attack them and why did the Frightmare kill her uncle?
Part of this answer occurred that night, when Toothless took them to the nest and they saw the real reason for the attacks. The Red Death. A dragon so enormous, that it filled a hollowed-out mountain.
Returning to Berk she asked Hiccup what he intended to do. His answer surprised her.
'No, No. Not yet. They'll….kill Toothless. Astrid, we have to think this through carefully'
The decision was made to kept quiet until the next day so that Hiccup could think of a way to tell his Dad without hopefully revealing Toothless.
Despite everything, Astrid was still slightly annoyed. Hiccup had kidnapped her after all.
Her natural instincts kicked in and she delivered her trademark punch to his arm.
'That's for kidnapping me' she snapped.
However the bemused and slightly upset look on Hiccups face reminded her of that day he had thanked her for saving him, and those green eyes looked upon her and finally broke through her tough exterior.
Grabbing him, she planted a kiss on his cheek.
'That's for….everything else.' She blushes.
Leaving Hiccup and Toothless, she ran off back to the village, thinking all the way.
'Why did I do that? Whey let him take me on…a dragon? Why did I kiss him? This isn't me.
Astrid Hofferson the warrior doesn't do this…'
Bu despite all her rationalisation of her reasons, she could not escape the fact that she did enjoy the flight and time with Hiccup.
'My gods, am I falling for….Hiccup? No, it must be the shock.' She convinced herself.
The next day, the day that Hiccup finally killed his first dragon, Astrid waited by the entrance to the arena. She knew what his plan was and hoped it would work but knew it probably wouldn't.
She was proven right.
Between Hiccup almost being killed by the Monstrous Nightmare, Toothless coming in not save him and being captured and Hiccup being all but branded a traitor, Astrid could not say which event was the worst.
However the setting sail of a fleet to hunt down the dragons nest, with the help of a captured and chained Toothless probably sat highly on that list.
The result of that day, the training of their own dragons, the defeat of the Red Death, Hiccups near death experience and the victory and peace with the dragons rolled Astrids best and worst days into one.
After years of being alone, due to her determination to be the best warrior and the shame of her families honour, she finally had friends, one of whom was her own dragon, Stormfly.
Even Snotlout, Gods only knows how, stepped up and was slightly tolerable in the fight. Though that alone would never make up for his actions before.
…..
Astrid gripped her axe. This was it, the day she had been waiting for her whole life. Her chance to slay the Frightmare and regain her family's honour.
However, as the dragon struck, she felt herself stiffen and freeze.
She couldn't move and for the first time in her life she was afraid. Not of dying, but of failing to fulfil her duty to kill the beast that had destroyed her family and provide herself with the only chance to regain her family's honour.
Hiccup, however managed to grab her and get her away before the Frightmare attacked her and as she recovered she realised that her Uncle hadn't been afraid, but paralysed by some sort of venom or spray the dragon had emitted.
If they could defeat the Frightmare then they could return and explain this and regain her family honour.
Between the three dragon riders they succeeded in diverting the glowing algae stream which the Frightmare fed on, redirecting it form the village and preventing any further attacks by it on them.
Returning to Berk Hiccup explained that the Frightmare would no longer affect the village and that it was no longer a risk to them.
He then went on to explain the paralysing venom that it sprayed which was the reason for Finn Hofferson apparently freezing in terror at the creature and that contrary to what was popular belief I the village, that he was not a coward and neither were the Hoffersons. Especially as it was Astrid who had fought the Frightmare whilst he and Fishlegs had diverted the river away.
Astrid, sighed, finally it was over. The truth behind her uncle had been revealed and her family could hold their heads up high again, and it was all down to her.
However, 12 years of constant training, fighting and keeping her emotions down, results of that night remined hard to shake and whilst she would eventually be able to relent enough to finally admit her feelings for Hiccup, she would remain tough and easy to anger.
These aspects of her were so ingrained that they had become her.
Maybe, if the Frightmare had not killed her Uncle all those years ago she would be different now, but….would she want to change that?
She shook her head silently. No, whilst those years had been tough on her, they made her strong and a fearless warrior able to defend her tribe and friends and finally led her to see Hiccup for the man he would become.
However, finally she could be at peace with the loss of her uncle and the cruel jibes and words people had said to her family for all those years.
Looking around she saw the friends she now had and the true respect they showed her, even Snotlout, even though her would not admit it. Maybe she could forgive him too…
'Hey babe' Snotlout grinned, 'so…. Now your family isn't disgraced, how about you and me…'
He never finished the sentence as she grabbed his tunic and in one swift motion threw him over her shoulder onto the floor, planting a booted foot on his chest
Maybe she won't forgive him just yet….