Astrid ⟡ 001
Who: 4everythingelse and anybody afoot
Where: The fields around Espoir, midday ish
Style: Third, preferably
Status: OPEN~
( C'mere, pretty please? Can you tell me where I am? )
Where: The fields around Espoir, midday ish
Style: Third, preferably
Status: OPEN~
( C'mere, pretty please? Can you tell me where I am? )
She shook her head quickly then. Oh! Right, introductions. Vikings were usually more renowned for their brutish nature than their congeniality, but there was really no excuse for being rude when a stranger was obviously trying to help.
"Astrid," she said, extending a hand to shake in greeting. "Astrid Hofferson." She made a bit of a face. "And I guess it's less frightening and more just strange. I mean, I've dealt with some scary things before..." Like taking on a dragon the size of a fleet of longboats. "But I'm not completely alone," she added, smiling a bit as she watched the man's eyes flick to the nadder and then back. Gesturing, she said, "This is Öndótt. Usually just Dot. She's a Deadly Nadder, but don't let the scary name fool you too much. She's quite friendly once she decides she likes you."
Astrid was a proud thing by nature, and showing off her beautiful dragon never got old. Showing Dot off to someone who had never seen a nadder before was even better. Clicking her tongue, she beckoned Dot to come a bit closer, and the dragon moved, carefully settling into the grass behind her. Leaning a hand on the horn on Dot's snout, Astrid smiled proudly.
"I've been training her for just a little over a week now," she said. "She's surprisingly well-behaved--I wasn't expecting her to listen so well."
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"Well met, Astrid." He smiled yet again, taking the offered hand with one of his own and shaking it. Once he let go, he had to chuckle dryly at her comment. "Strange indeed, and I could say the same." Plenty of scary things in his life. He had fought so many monsters, and seen so many terrifying things, he could easily agree. Though he wasn't too fond of the young girl dealing with something like that. That was just his nature though, and maybe a bit naive of him in some sense.
Now his full attention was on the dragon. He'd been smart enough not to get too close to one before if he could help it, and he was still amazed such a creature could be tamed so easily. The girl was talented, obviously not one to be judged based on her age. Her look and attitude said enough of that from what Drizzt could tell. "Öndótt" he repeated with a click of his tongue, violet eyes following the dragon's movements. After a momentary hesitation, he stepped closer, extending a hand toward the creature, not yet touching it though. He was just testing the waters, not wanting the dragon to bite his hand off.
"She's beautiful," he offered, his words sincere. He did so enjoy seeing the various creatures of the surface up close, even if most of them never wanted to see him. Almost on cue, the panther behind him strode up to his side, nudging against his leg gently. He very well couldn't ignore the beast for long, and he DID need to properly introduce her. So with the hand that wasn't extended to the dragon, Drizzt stroked along the panther's head.
"This is Guenhwyvar, she's been with me for a long time. It does well to have a trustworthy companion with you." He softened his gaze a bit at the girl, "It's good to see you're not alone. It can be difficult."
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"Thank you. She knows it, too," Astrid chuckled when he complimented the nadder. "And she makes quick work of making sure everyone else knows it."
Dot clicked her jaw together at this, then arched her long neck and trilled happily as Astrid scratched the spot behind the spikes along the crest of her head. Then Astrid turned as Drizzt introduced the feline that had been waiting patiently beside him.
"Guenhwyvar," she echoed, much as Drizzt had the dragon's name, and smiled a bit. "She's remarkable; I've never seen a cat so big. Or of that color." Extending one hand slowly, palm down, she waited for Guenhwyvar to sniff her fingertips before carefully stroking the big cat's cheek. "It's definitely good to have a companion," she agreed, marveling at Guenhwyvar's whiskers and big, bright eyes. "I... You're certain there's no way to get home?" She pulled back from Guenhwyvar and frowned at Drizzt. "I have a friend in my village who was badly injured recently. I'm worried about him."
While Astrid was certain she could handle being thrown into a strange situation like this, she didn't like that not knowing if Hiccup would ever wake up came with it.
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Finally he dropped his hand down from the dragon's head, watching as Guenhwyvar lavished in the attention she was being given, half purring in the process. To which Drizzt simply shook his head and patting the giant cat on the head. At least they agreed on the companion thing.
"I've heard there is a way, but it seems spontaneous to most. Just as we show up here without warning, we leave the same way. That is what I was told at least." he really couldn't offer much more, and he gave an apologetic look toward the girl for it. His gaze hardened slightly at the mention of her injured friend, and he hoped for her sake that they would be alright back in her home world. He never did enjoy other's suffering like the rest of his kind did.
He didn't know what to say, he wasn't very good at comforting people, but he'd try as best he could,
"Perhaps your friend arrived here as well. Somarium is rather large, there is a chance. What is his name?" and now he was pulling out the Dreamberry, remembering that someone had mentioned earlier whomever was in Somarium would be on the contact list. The thing still baffled him in a way, but he didn't have a choice but to use it, especially at times like this.
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With a soft sigh, Astrid started to tell Drizzt Hiccup's name, and then stopped, gawping at the device in the man's hands.
"The runebox?" she asked, and dug into the pouch at her hip. "You know how to work it? What does it do?" She held the runebox in both her hands, frowning at it before meeting Drizzt's eye again. "I've never seen anything like it!"
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"For the most part." he didn't know everything, but he knew what he needed to by now. How to call someone, or find their name on the contact list. Video calls, the basics that Malik had been kind enough to inform him about.
"Neither have I before I came here, actually. But." He moved closer so they could both look at the screen while he pressed the buttons, "It's some sort of communication device. You can speak with others that have one as well. It also..." he didn't like this part, "Can record your dreams."
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She prodded some of the buttons on the runebox, watching with controlled delight as the square screen at the top lit up and showed her a menu of options. She'd never heard of such things! 'Documents', one said. Well, that one sounded kind of important. Fiddling with the device a moment, she found a pebble with an arrow on it that would allow her to move the words on the little lighted box. The records in the village archives never had so much in-depth information! Why, even the dragon-training textbooks didn't seem quite this thorough!
A bit enthralled (Astrid did so love learning new things, even if she rarely admitted to such scholastic goals), she skimmed through a few pages of information, then looked back up at Drizzt.
"Thank you," she said, venturing a smile. "I don't think I would have known what to do with this thing. Maybe if I read everything carefully, I can find a way to get back to Berk." She furrowed her brow then. That had sounded a bit mean--Drizzt had been so helpful and here she was making it sound like she wanted nothing more than to leave. "If... if I need to talk with you sometime in the future," she amended, looking back at the runebox, "I can find your name here? And vice-versa?"
Maybe he was blue, but he seemed very kind, and despite her tendency toward brusque, abrupt demeanor, Astrid was not quick to forget a kindness. If there was something she could do to help him in return, she would eagerly do so.
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He watched her, a small smile on his lips. He couldn't contain the amusement in seeing her so delighted and enraptured by the device. To be honest, he had done nearly the same thing when he was alone. It was something different, strange and interesting. And since it didn't try and kill him, obviously he had grown to like it by now.
Drizzt didn't think much of it, honestly, he had already said that this would be his new home. Well, new wasn't exactly the right word considering he never really did have a home. He just didn't want to leave this place. Not after all that had happened in his world. The welcoming citizens of Somarium were just what he needed.
"You're welcome, Astrid. I hope you're able to find your friend and return home soon." he nodded to her question then, "Yes, I'll gladly assist you if you need anything else. Do not hesitate to contact me in the future."
There was a pause, and then, "Have you found a place to stay?" He glanced up at the sky. At least it wasn't dark right now, otherwise he'd be more wary about her walking around. Dragon beside her or not, and even if she seemed capable of handling herself. Blame his protective nature and trauma with kids, "If you haven't by nightfall, I have a cottage close by. You're free to stay there as long as you may need."
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Tugged from her mortification by Drizzt's voice, she looked back up at him, then shook her head.
"I haven't even..." She paused. A place to stay? She... was really stuck here, wasn't she? Blowing a sigh up through her bangs, she slid the runebox back into her pouch and folded her arms. "I'll keep that in mind," she said; "thank you." She furrowed her brow. "How would one go about finding a place to stay, anyway?" She'd never had to do anything quite like this before.
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He frowned a bit. He knew it must be hard to be thrown into a different world like this without much warning. but he couldn't do much else but offer what he could. "I just took the closest open cottage. If there is no one living there, you're free to take it as your own. It's...odd, but it seems to work for everyone else." and it worked for him.
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It wasn't like Vikings needed to get permits or zoning to build their cottages, they didn't need electricity or gas lines or anything like that, but Astrid had at least been expecting to have to build her own house or something. This at least made it easier--she didn't think she was a very good carpenter.
She gave Drizzt a small smile.
"Thanks for your help," she said. "I'm sure I'll find something. And... I guess maybe I'll see you around, huh?" At least it seemed she'd successfully made a good ally--even if she didn't really know what was going on, it was always easier when you had a few good people you could turn to when you needed advice.
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