Astrid was wandering through Berk, not paying attention to where she was going. She was feeling very frustrated, having just failed to pull off her latest stunt. It had left Stormfly with a badly injured wing, and herself with badly injured sense of dignity.
She'd broken into floods of tears, a rare display for her. But the idea that her pride had caused Stormfly pain just tore at her heart. Until Fishlegs and Hiccup arrived on the scene, she just watched horrified, as her dragon's wings, just flailed, painfully. Hiccup wanted to comfort Astrid, but was himself pulled towards the Deadly Nadder. Fishlegs examined the injured wing, tentatively running his fingers over the membrane, and the bones beneath.
"She'll be fine... But she needs to rest and recover."
Astrid promised her dragon would eat only the finest chicken until she was sky-worthy again. She found herself clamped onto Hiccup's shoulder, as the pain and fear left her body.
Hiccup wanted to be sure that she was okay, but Astrid wanted to be alone. Hiccup was used to Astrid, and kissing her gently on the cheek let her wander away. He called out re-assurances to her as she left. Dearly she wanted to go with Stormfly, but wasn't sure she could handle the rising guilt, or the endless questions from Fishlegs.
Even stomping along the beach angrily was frustrating. The sand just absorbed her angry footsteps, and the advancing waves, just washed her prints away.
The night was falling before she realised how much time had passed. It had given her a lot of time to think. She had come to some very uncomfortable conclusions.
That deep down, that she felt as a woman... somehow unworthy of being with Hiccup. She knew that her place in viking society was not as high as the boys. They were expected to become warriors, to fight for the clan... to fight for the village ... to fight for his partner.
She thought of her only female companion. Ruffnut. Tolerated only for her stupidity, and the fact that she was too similar to her brother. Her entire life had been a battle to be taken seriously. And now.... And now, it had caused Stormfly ... she sobbed, as she considered how much worst it could have been. Her arrogance... her pride... her insecurity...
If only she didn't feel the need to prove herself... everyday ... every time ... if only she'd been born a boy. She could be a friend to Hiccup, an equal...
She was disturbed from her thoughts, by a small cough.
Looking around, then down... she spotted Gunna. Berk's wise woman.
"Feeling a little distracted are we?"
"Feeling a little out of place..."
From behind her back she pulled out a scarlet stone. It glowed with an internal light, sparkling and teasing.
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