Indebted to the Royal Pain

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Bright lights and unbridled euphoria filled the room. It was like everyone, everything, was on an adrenaline rush. Cheers, and applause rushed all around Astrid and she let out a scream of victory-well she tried to-it came out as a ferocious whinny. Wait, Astrid was the horse. Horse Astrid looked up at herself and saw that she was glorious. Her armor shone brighter than a star and she wore her confidence like a crown. Surveying the endless arena she saw thousands of men littering the floor with their lances crumpled next to them like their spirits. Breathing her victories in through her large horse nostrils, she tried again for a scream and it worked! Astrid was Astrid once more. Her joy was short lived when she felt a disturbance on the far side of the arena. Turning around she saw Simon stride over, lance in hand and helmet off. She couldn't see him so well, but she knew it was him. Just as she could feel the positive energy die down and a sense of dread and doom washed over the place. Simon was trouble and she needed to leave. Yet, Astrid lived for trouble and there was something so daring about him. No she must go this is bad, bad, bad. Just then Simon grinned at her mischievously and mocked her, "Scared little seamstress girl, where is your sense of adventure?"

Against her better judgment, Astrid charged, she had to win. "Right here!" she cried. Astrid covered miles in seconds and thrust her lance with all her might, but it evaporated. 

Simon grabbed her off her horse and threw off her helmet, "Woman!" he screamed to the crowd. Then he dropped her and spat down at her. Before she could even wipe the spit off, millions descended on her and begun to spit at her. Tears streaming down her face, Astrid looks up when the crowd clears and sees her mother.

"Mother, please help! Please," her voice was fragile and pain choked. 

"Help you? I came down to disown you! You have disgraced our family and disrespected me. And to think I believed you were the perfect daughter, when in actuality you were the perfect disappointment. The only good thing is now your brother will have to continue the business. Goodbye and good riddance!" Her spit was the largest of all, so large that it woke Astrid up.

Soaking wet and rather cold Astrid awoke with a building fury, "What in God's name-"

"Good morning!" Her mother intervened, "Now, it appears we are out of water. That won't do, now will it? We must go fetch some more from the well."

Her cheery tone bothered Astrid nearly as much as her rude awakening.

"My dearest mother," Astrid tried to conceal the venom behind her words, "Why would you use the last bucket of water on me, when it could be put to more practical uses."

"Why, shaping my daughter into the finest young woman in town, is an incredibly practical use!"

"I just fail to see how this is helping."

"What you can and cannot see is unimportant. My methods are undeniable and you need to respect me. Now get dressed, you are positively soaking." Astrid's mother glided out of the room like a dignified woman. An insane, dignified woman more accurately. 

Judging by the lack of light and the cooler temperature, Astrid assumed it to be a good half hour at least before sunrise. "She is absolutely mad," Astrid muttered to herself as she put on her green, work dress. "My," Astrid looked down to identify her scratched hand as the source of her discomfort. Memories of the night before and her dream came flooding back to her. 

"Odin's beard! I'm going to have some explaining to do." Thinking fast Astrid re-cut her hand on the dresser. "Fie!"

"Astrid?" Her mother reentered the room. "You are bleeding! Let me go fetch some wrappings and try not to bleed on the carpet until I return."