Meadhead's POV
"Meadhead! You slouch, wake up or you'll be late for your lessons!" I heard my mother's shout. I groaned awake feeling peeved that I was woken up so early… Crap! Realising why I was woken up I quickly ran out and got properly clothed. The thought of being late again was enough to pour cold water over my good dreams.
Ever since the word of a potential attack might occur, Mal has been making us do strange exercises to prepare us for battle. He also punished us whenever we were late, usually even Valkyr didn't do that to us. Everytime I get home I get so tired and always wake up late. How is it my fault?
Running along with my complaints I made it just in time before training began. I stood in line along with everyone else, barely being able to keep my own breath.
"Look at this idiot," I heard Valerie mock, "Any more later he would've been running the entirety of class."
"Shut up!" I felt my head go hot, who does she think she is? Calling me an idiot, I'm not an idiot! I'll show this Hofferson who's an idiot during sparring, I'll guarantee it. I won't sully the Jorgenson name!
"Look at him, he's already thinking about fighting me," Valerie chuckled as she pointed me out to Asdis. "It really runs in their family."
I kept quiet this time, Mal told me to always never let my emotions get to me. How could I forget every time? I must prove my skill through actions not words!
"Good morning everyone!" I heard Instructor Valkyr's voice at the gates, everyone turned around and greeted her.
"Good morning Instructor Valkyr!"
"Mal, won't be here today. He's a little busy with some of the defence preparations, but don't think that you'll be left off easy today." She said sternly, her face suddenly turning into a demon's. "Start your run, 15 laps around the arena!"
"But, Mal only makes us do ten!" I protested, my legs were still sore from the extra 5 laps I did yesterday for being late, now that I'm actually on time I still have to do 15?! Are the gods punishing me?
"I haven't been instructing you for the past few days and you all already learned to talk back? 20 laps for everyone today! Start running or that's all we'll be doing!" She stomped her food causing everyone to startle into a run.
I felt the angry gazes of the others fall into me, I could only try to ignore them in shame. The inside of me wanted to get mad, since I only wanted to reduce the laps. I'm trying to help here, what more do you want from me?
Everyone finished the twenty laps at a decent pace, the two Hofferson twins were the first to finish with me just behind them. I felt a little frustrated about the fact they were better than me in almost everything that we did. If it wasn't them then it was that big oaf Munnr, who was the size of a mountain. I just need to keep working hard.
—
I laid exhausted on the grass, this little spot was a secret spot that I found to train after classes. It wasn't too deep into the forest, but it was hidden enough from prying eyes. It was the only place where I could find peace and quiet.
"Well, would you look at that?" I heard a familiar voice come up from behind me. I quickly sat up and turned around, a hand met with the top of my skull generating a holding pain on my head. "What'd I tell you about always having your guard up?" The voice chuckled.
"Sorry, Mal," I clutched my head.
"I'm just messing with you kiddo," He sat down with me, "Everyone needs a little peace in their days. You'd go crazy if you always have your guard up."
"What are you doing here?" I asked, "Aren't you supposed to be setting up defences or something?"
"What? Are you saying that I'm slacking off?" He raised an eyebrow at me, "I'm mapping out the island. Seeing if there's any blindspots that any attackers could sneak up from. You gotta plan ahead when you do these things, always assume the worst you know?"
"Isn't it dangerous to be going out alone without armour thought?" He was only wearing a cotton shirt and pants. It wasn't the usual viking wear, nor was it the usual wear for anyone exploring the island. Especially if there's dragons up and about.
"Dangerous for most, that's for sure." He said, "But I'm fairly confident that there's not much here that can do anything to me. Even then I could always run away." He shrugged.
"Isn't it cowardly to run from your attackers?" I judged, which was rewarded by a smack to the head.
"What'd I tell you boy?" He sighed, "If you have a likely chance of surviving by running away you should always run. It's a waste of your own life trying to sacrifice yourself over nothing. It's cowardly if you run from danger and leave behind other's to face the danger by themselves, among other things. But I always say, when it's just you, you run for it. Better a kept life than a lost one."
"What did you used to do before you came here?" I asked. "My dad says that you probably came from a strong warrior clan in the south? Why did you decide to come here?"
"So many questions, how about I ask what you're doing here?" He mused.
"What does it look like? If I want to become a great warrior I must prove my worth as a Jorgenson." I clenched my fist in determination. "That way no one would be able to say anything bad to me."
"I dunno, sounds like you just want people to talk good about you," His words seemed to have hit something in me. "You can go all your life fighting for people to respect you, but that's a lifetime wasted not finding respect for yourself. Do you know what a warrior is without respect for what he does?" He looked at me quizzically.
"What?"
"A coward." After saying that he stood up preparing to leave, "You should get going soon, it'll be dark. It'd be unfortunate if you get carried off by a dragon or something."
Seeing his figure leave, I sat still on the soft grass thinking about Mal's words.
—
(A/N: Idk how to write profound shit. Just make a headcanon of Mal actually saying something that inspired Meadhead to do things to improve himself as a person rather than chasing reputation. I'll come back when I have something better :P)
—
The next day I found myself waking up earlier than usual, I'm not sure why but it just seemed to happen. Although to be honest I felt more tired than before, my body instinctively wanted to go back to sleep. However, thinking about what Mal told me yesterday I forced myself to get up. I headed down the stairs to see that my mom and dad were getting ready for the day.
"Oh?" My mom looked up at me in surprise, "Well this is new. You've never woken up on your own since forever." She went up to feel my forehead to see if maybe I was sick or something. "You don't seem to be sick, you've always needed a good yell to be awake. What's the occasion boy?" She asked me.
"I just felt like waking up a little earlier I guess." I said.
"That's good, it looks like you're starting to pick yourself up." My dad joined in, "Jorgenson must always be the first to wake out of all the others. You can never be the best if you let yourself become last."
"Oh, cut it with your Jorgenson crap and give the boy some peace. It's all you ever talk about with him, if you got nothing good to say just keep your mouth shut." Mom berated dad, "Now how about you join us for breakfast finally, maybe you'll finally stop being a slouch if you get a good meal in the morning."
—
"What's wrong with you?" Vallerie breathed heavily after our first bout of sparring. "You've been quieter than a rock."
"What's wrong with that?" I asked her, I found out that if I didn't respond too much to her trash talking she finally became quieter. Although her words still make me angry, I was able to hit her a few times when I focused on what I was doing. It felt so much better than getting angry over what she said. I don't have to show her that I can beat her, I know I can and that's exactly what I'm gonna do.
"Has Meadhead turned into a stonehead? I guess what little of your brain finally turned into rock." She mocked.
Without realising it my body suddenly charged and my voice came out angrily, "You little, I'll show you!" I began swinging the sword wildly again, I couldn't regain control over myself until I felt a pang of pain on the back of my head as I fell into the ground.
"I knew that'd get to you," She laughed, "Try again next time stonehead."
I sat up and sighed to myself, why is it so hard to change?