Stoick and Valka

How did Stoick first imagine Valka?

Bright and lovely, Stoick noticed her at a village function when she was thirteen and she captured his attention. She was coltish, long legged and awkward and clumsy, and clever. Her laugh was like tinkling bells and her strength of will was evident in her stance, in the way she carried herself. She was a younger daughter, a bit odd but intelligent, with a sharpness about her that got to the heart of things. But she was blushing when he came to her table and spoke with her parents. She hunched down, shy at his presence, and he wanted the sweet maiden he saw before him. He watched for her and saw a young maid, sweet and delightful. Young and innocent, she was easily wounded by those around her. He would give his life to save hers, and would keep her from all harm. The song was an oath to her, though she didn’t know the depth of it. He would never wound her, and her feelings must be spared. He wanted to know her better, but there was the seven year age gap and those betrothed often avoided one another. Stoick was a traditionalist in many ways. Not in the marrying—he would not marry for politics, but choose a bride for himself. He won this concession, and it was a large one, but had to make it palatable to his father by adhering to all the other norms, even the ones many didn’t bother with. So he avoided Valka, and his duties kept him busy. His knowledge of Valka was based on hearsay, observation from a distance, and their few, chaperoned meetings. He’d see her at village events and celebrations to speak with; they exchanged few words otherwise. His father marries them and two weeks later, during their honeymoon, leaves to stay the rest of his life with his daughter. Stoick has less time to get to know Valka, and retains many of his cherished notions about how fragile she is, not seeing she’s a woman, not a girl. He thinks of her as a girl, as his sweet lass, and spares her every time he can, even protecting her from himself. He would never hurt her and is too ready to see her as incapable of things such as passion. He knows she’s brave and determined and excellent with her staff, he’s seen her assist in putting the village back together after bad storms or raids, but it never sinks in that Valka is a woman; his view of her is limited and idealized, and she figures it out before he does. Being Valka, her sense of mischief leads her to act in provocative ways toward Stoick and she wonders how long it will take Stoick to realize she’s acting deliberately. She is bold and provocative and playing a long, teasing prank on Stoick. He’s so busy protecting her and the tribe, he can’t see that she and the tribe have him under observation.