Astrid's bad day
We all have them, but sometimes you just wish you hadn't got out of bed!
It was early morning when Astrid got up with the intention of getting a couple of hours of weapons training in before here tasks for the day.
The young shield maiden got out of bed and put on her signature spiked skirt, leggings, blue sleeveless top and shoulder pads, before realising she couldn't find her fur lined boots anywhere.
Hunting high and low in her room she finally admitted defeat and decided to go downstairs to grab breakfast.
Walking down the stairs barefoot she called out to her mum. 'have you seen my boots anywhere?'
'Yes dear, you left them outside after you stood in something particularly nasty yesterday evening. Oh any by the way, be careful when you come down as your dad has not fixed that loose step near the bottom!'
This warning came somewhat too late for Astrid who had just stood onto the offending step which being loose rocked, making her loose her balance.
A yell, followed by a loud crash indicated that Astrid had indeed found said loose step, and from the sounds of it the next two below.
'Hel, arse and twine, why didn't dad fix that earlier?' she cursed as she stood up noticing a slight pain in her leg. That's going to bruise and ache later.
'Is there anything for breakfast mum?' she enquired.
'well there is porridge, but I think the sheep milk may be off, it's starting to curdle.'
'Oh it should be fine' Astrid replied as she poured some of the milk over the porridge already in the bowl.
She took one mouthful before spitting it out. 'gah! This stuff is terrible, I'll have to leave it.'
'I don't understand you dear, you can't eat slightly turned milk, yet you happily served and drank that awful yaknog last Snoggletog. Half the village went down with food poisoning from that, yet you were fine, you need to eat something this morning, don't let good food go to waste.'
Astrid resigned herself to her porridge and ate it as best as she could, grimacing at each mouthful.
'I'm done, see you later, going off to train in the woods. I'll be back for my chores.'
She retrieved her boots from outside, remembering quickly why she had left them there.
It seems that in cleaning out Stormflys stables last night she had stood in something which Stormfly had deposited.
Having been outside her boots were cold and wet with morning dew, which would not help her feet later. Oh well, she will warm up once she starts axe training she thought.
Astrid arrived at the clearing in the woods where she regularly trained, as identified by the heavy axe marks in most of the trees in the area and began warming up with stretches and axe swings to get her arms used to the weight and feel of the axe.
She was about halfway through her training and had already demolished one poor sapling and a target board she had left set up here when her hand slipped on her axe handle and the whole thing flew through the air, hitting a nearby rock, emitting a sickening crack.
Rushing over to retrieve the axe, she was horrified to see a split and chip in the blade she so lovingly cared for and swore again.
'Thor damn it! What is with today? That's training over with, and I'll have to get it sharpened at the forge now. Gah!'
Trudging off to the forge with her axe over her shoulder she saw Gobber just shutting up shop.
'Hey, Gobber, what's going on, isn't Hiccup meant to be with you today?'
'Aye lass, he is, but the little sod forgot and went out on Toothless and won't be back for the whole day. I have a load of errands to run, so will have to close for the day now.'
'Oh, it's just that I cracked my axe blade and was hoping you could fix it for me for tomorrow?'
'Sorry Astrid, with Hiccup gone and a load of jobs already in, it could be a few days before I can get to that. You can leave it in the forge and I will try to see to it as soon as I can.' Replied Gobber 'anyway, can't stand here chatting, jobs to do, people to see, chickens to catch!'
Astrid grumbled to herself, cursing Hiccup and his inattentiveness as she left her axe in the forge.
Well, may as well start my tasks for the day early now, she though.
First up is to help Fishlegs in moving some rocks he had collected for Meatlug and his mum wanted out of the way.
Knocking on the door of the Ingerman house, Fishlegs soon appeared.
'Astrid! You're early. Thanks for coming over, the rocks are out the back.' He explained as he guided her round.
' I picked up quite a few rocks from our various travels to test out with Meatlug for making different metals for Gobber, but seem to have got a bit carried away.' As he pointed to what Astrid could only describe as a small hillock of stones.
'Where do these need to go then Fish?' she asked.
'just out of the way of the back door and into the corner of the yard there.' He pointed.
'OK, no problem, should be fairly easy' Astrid boasted, she was fairly sure that all her training meant this shouldn't be too much of a strain for her. 'gather you didn't ask Hiccup to help?'
'heh… well no… I mean he would of, but well…' Fishlegs stuttered
' He would take all day to move one of these?' she quipped as she carried another rock over to the pile.
'Yeh.. Heh heh… don't tell him I thought that.' Pleaded Fishlegs.
'no worries' Astrid laughed 'leave this sort of the work to those with some upper body strength, huh!' she joked cockily
As she did so her hand slipped on the rock she was carrying and dropped it, right onto her foot.
'Ow, ow, ow' she cried hopping about on her other foot. ' Thors sake, what is with me today?'
'Careful Astrid, you're very near to…..' Fishlegs tried to warn her just as Astrid hopped and stumbled right into Meatlugs water trough.
'The trough tipped over ad covered Astrid in water, soaking her completely.
'Astrid sat there in a puddle of water simmering and fuming.
'Are you ok Astrid' enquired Fishlegs
'Seriously, you really want to go there with that question' she growled 'I've hit my foot and now had an unplanned bath in Meatlugs drinking trough. Seriously how much worse could this day get?'
At that moment Snotlout and the twins happened to be walking by and hearing the commotion peered over the fence into the yard to see the scene.
'Hah, what's happened here Fishlegs?' chuckled Snotlout
'Hey Astrid, didn't think today was your bath day!' joked Tuffnut
'Maybe she's saving time, washing herself and her clothes at the same time?' said Ruffnut.
Astrids fury at her terrible day finally boiled over and she got up and yelled at the three Dragon riders.
'Oh you think this is funny do you, well do you? Let's give you something to laugh about as she launched herself over the fence, fists flying and punched Snotlout on the nose. Her next blow landed right in Tuffnuts stomach while she swiped Ruffnuts legs out from under her with a practiced move from her leg.
'Come on then, laugh it up! Or isn't it suddenly very funny anymore?' she quipped.
'Whoa, calm down Astrid, it was only a joke, you must admit it was funny' said Snotlout as he held his bleeding nose.
'I have had a terrible day, one thing after another has gone wrong and you jokers laughing at it was the final straw. Now get out of her before I actually get angry!' she shouted.
The three of them scarpered off with Snotlout commenting 'must be that time of the month again!'
'I heard that' yelled Astrid as she hurled a small stone with expert aim that bounced off Snotlouts helmet, earning a yelp and ow from him.
Astrid decided to calm down in the Great Hall and get some food as the porridge from earlier was still not settling down in her stomach.
' Great. Food poisoning on top of everything else I expect today'
As she entered the hall Astrid looked around for an empty table as she was not in the mood for company at present.
Grabbing a plate and some fish, chicken, vegetables and a slice of bread she sat down at an empty table near fire at the back of the hall.
Habits die hard and Astrid sat in a location that ensured she could see across the whole hall, so that she was not surprised by any attackers and could keep an eye on what was going on.
As she ate she allowed herself to relax slightly and dry out as well as try to forget the chaos of the day. Surely the worst was over and she could make the best of the rest of the day .
However her peace and quiet was rudely shattered by Gobber coming over holding a tankard of beer in one of his prosthetic limbs.
'Hey lass, why are you sitting here on your own?' he enquired.
'Sorry Gobber, I'm not good company at present' and explained the various incidents that had occurred that day.
'Oh dear lass, well don't worry good old Gobber here will keep you company and make sure nothing else happens.'
'Thanks, but don't expect any scintillating conversation'
No problem, I can talk for both of us….' Gobber began as he heard a shout.
'Gobber! Yelled Stoick ' can you come over here a minute?'
Yeh, sure Stoick' replied Gobber hurriedly getting up.
As he did so he waved to Stoick, forgetting the tankard attachment and sloshed mead out of the tankard all over the table….. and Astrid.
'Argh! Gobber seriously!' screamed the shield maiden ' I've only nearly dried off from the last soaking, now I smell like a brewery!'
'Oops! Sorry Astrid. Forgot me tankard was full. Don't worry lass, it'll wash out.'
Astrid glared at Gobber with a look that would make fully grown Vikings tremble and stormed out of the Great Hall, leaving the remnants of her now sodden meal behind.
'Whats with Astrid?' enquired Stoick
'Bad day it seems for her' chuckled Gobber. 'Poor lass, though I feel more sorry for the next poor sod who gets in her way. That girl has a temper and a punch to match!'
Astrid walked down the long flight of stairs from the Great Hall, villagers hurrying to get out of her way as they saw the furious look on her face.
Even though she was without her axe, she still was not someone anyone wanted to tangle with especially at this moment in time.
Storming back into her home, she was greeted by her parents who both commented on her appearance.
'Astrid dear, you look awful, and smell terrible. Don't you think you should wash, you smell like Ruffnut and Tuffnut combined?'
A glare from Astrid made her parents realise that any further conversation would likely result in broken crockery or possibly furniture as she headed upstairs, avoiding the still loose step.
She changed out of her damp, mead soaked clothing and hunted around for something else to wear, but all she could find were some older clothes which were rather tighter than she would like.
'Mum, where are my other clothes?' she yelled
'Still to wash dear, sorry. I'm sure you can get away with some of your older stuff, you haven't grown that much since you last wore them.'
Sighing, Astrid persevered in putting on her old green top and an older spiked skirt, however neither fitted ideally with the result they parted at the waist when she moved at all.
'Not ideal at all, but I suppose it will do for going flying with Stormfly. I deserve a break at some point today.' She muttered to herself as she walked out to Stormflys stable.
'Hey girl, how are you?'
Stormfly squawked and nuzzled her in greeting just before she let out a terrific sneeze, coating Astrid in Dragon snot.
'Oh for Thor sake, you have a cold, and now I'm coated in mucus.' Cried Astrid, who at this point had had just about as much bad luck as one person could in one day.
Despite this she attended to Stormfly and made sure she was comfortable and warm to get over her cold, then turned to go back into the house.
As she did so, Hiccup returned with Toothless and landed in front of her.
'Hi Astrid, Astrid hi' he stuttered ' How are….' He began
'Don't even finish that sentence Hiccup' she growled
'oh….ok'
Toothless meanwhile has sensed that Astrid was upset and, thinking to cheer her up the same was he did with Hiccup bounded up and gave her a big long lick from her skirt to head.
One swift and powerful punch to Toothless' nose later she stormed off leaving a bemused Hiccup and a stunned and scared Toothless standing outside her house.
'I'm going to bed' she yelled to her parents 'don't wake me until tomorrow!'
As she got changed and into bed, she thought of all that had happened that day.
'Some days you really shouldn't bother getting up' she muttered before going to sleep.