A helping hand-Visna Stafnsdóttir

Sofie had been working on a new dress in her spare time, but she had been having a really tough time with it for a while now. She kept messing up the little flower details she was trying to sow into it, and having to start over. The flower she has trying to sow into it was one that her father use to always bring to her mother. A Carnation, she was trying to make them in different colors on a white dress. She thought it would be perfect and beautiful for spring time once winter was over. But at this rate she was never going to get it done. Not unless she got over herself and decided to just ask Visna for help like she knew she should. Sofie just didn’t want her younger sister to make fun of her for not being able to sow as well as she and mother did. Sofie was better with tricks and a sword then sitting still long enjoying to make a beautiful dress. Even if she desperately wanted to make it beautiful. She had gotten the actual dress made, she just couldn’t do all the fine detail work.

Taking a deep breath while still trying to make the flower work she let out a big scream when she messed up again. Throwing the dress to the side Sofie got up and started moving around the room. Pacing back in forth before screaming “Visna!” In the house. She waited a few moments and got no answer. So she grabbed her dressed and started looking around. Visna wasn’t Home, so that meant she was at the shop. Great, now she would have to tell her mother too that she couldn’t make the flower. Sofie hopes her mother was were ever it was when she wasn’t home or at the shop before she left the house and went to see if Visna was there. Hopefully she would just be nice and show her how to do it. Then sofie would hold off on playing tricks on her for a few weeks, but if she was rude then sofie would play twice as many on her for being mean.

Once she got to the shop she pushes the door open and looked around. Good her mother wasn’t there at the moment she thought as she looked around. Finally spotting Visna, sofie stopped over and dropped the dress in front of her. “I need your help.” She said first before huffing “I can’t sow the flower right, show me how to do it so I stop doing it wrong. It’s a Carnation…I want to do it in many colors..and I want to do it..so show me, don't just do it yourself...” she said before looking away. Visna would know why she wanted that flower and she wasn’t going to explain more anyways. “please..” she made sure to add after a second. She knew she came off rude, she was just frustrated that she couldn’t do this, but could beat strong shield maiden in training. It wasn’t fair if you asked her.She hated asking for help so she hoped Visna new she was being serous.

Sofie had chose to ignore when her younger sister said “be careful sofie” to her. Her throwing her dress on top of what she had been doing wasn’t going to break anything. Plus she was so frustrated and wanted help that she didn’t care much about anything else. She needed her sisters help, something she hardly ever asked her for. Most of the time the two of them would bicker, but get along at the same time. It was complicated honestly. Sofie could see the shock on Visna face as she looked at her before she picked up the dress and looked at it “it’s pretty” Visna said first and for some reason that made sofie feel some what better. That Visna thought the dress she had made so far was pretty. She had been working on it in secret for months now, so to hear the surprise and the praise was nice. “Did you make this?” Visna asked next. It made sofie smile

Taking a deep breath she said “Thank you, and yes. I’ve been working on it for months! Do you truly  think it’s good? I have been trying to make it perfect..I learned from watching you..” To her sister before bitting her lip. Sofie had meant what she said. She had really worked hard on this dress. Spending a few hours a night on it when she could. So that when the anniversary of her fathers death came up, she would be able to wear it to honor him. To make him proud, that she remembered the flower and that she had made it as well. Sofie watched as her sister moved the dress she had been working on before she had come in and thrown her dress at her to the side. Before gently laying hers out on the table to be worked on. “Okay, I will not do it. I am going to show you how to do it sewing only one flower. Then you can do the rest.” Visna said to her next. Sofie was glad that her sister was willing to show her. She was being very patient with her, and sofie made a mental note that Visna was now trick free for the rest of the month.

Visna spoke once more. “Is that okay?” She had asked nicely. Smiling, a real smile. Not one with hidden intent, sofie nodded her head. “Yes, that’s what I want. I want to learn so I can make it myself..” she said trailing of for a moment before adding “not that I want you to stop making my dresses, you do a better job…I just want to make this for dad...for the anniversary...” sofie said before looking away for a moment and taking a breath. Looking back she placed a smile back on her face and looked toward the dress.”you have my full attention…and thank you for this Visna.” She said as she reached out and squeezed her sisters shoulder gently. She was glad for her kindness. “I’ll make it up to you some how. Other than not tricking you for the next month. If you can teach me this. I’ll teach you something in return.” Sofie said last as she waited for her sister to start showing her how to do the flower.

Sofie felt even more proud of herself when Visna said "Yes" followed by "It truly is good" in response to Sofie asking her sister if she had done a good job. So if Visna thought it was good, then that meant it really way. This was what she did everyday. Worked on dresses, very beautiful dresses at that. Sofie had never told her sister, and might never tell her, but she thinks so highly of Visna's work and dedication. She spends all of her time helping their mother make dresses. She was the only sister to want to make dresses as well.Well Sofie had before their father died, but she never told anyone that ether. "Thank you Visna. That means more than you know..." Sofie said gently and giving her sister another smile. She kind of liked bonding with Visna this way. It was much different to their normal bickering and teasing. However Sofie knew this wouldn't last forever. They would go back to bickering at some point, just like all their sisters did.

She was still glad she came here none the less. Visna would show her how to do this, and then in her free time this winter she would work on it. So then by summer it would be done and perfect. Then father would be proud of her as well as their mother. Someone she hoped wouldn't find out until she was done with the dress. So she could wear it, and their mother would see. She would know that herself and Visna hadn't made it, and she hoped that she would like that. For Sofie feels bad that she is no longer as close to her mother as she had been whens she was a child. She was always busy with training to playing tricks, while her mother was making dresses or doing other things.Sure she spent time with her every now and then, but nothing like before. Sofie hoped that, that didn't hurt her mother, but she also knew she would never outright ask her mother if it did. Fearing the answer she would get in return.

Sofie watched as Visna grabbed things from around her area, getting more ready to show her how to make the flower. However she was a little shocked by what Visna said she wanted in return. ”Then maybe you can teach me how to defend myself?” she had asked and Sofie knew that a look of shock had to have taken over her face. The idea of Visna learning to fight was surprising, but then again Sofie wanted her sister to be able to protect herself. For no matter how much she would wish, she couldn't always be there to protect her two younger sisters. "Deal, I'll teach you how to defend yourself with a smaller weapon. One you can hide on your person." she said first before giving her another smile."Besides, its good that you know how to anyways. I'm just glad you want me to be the one to teach you." she said next with an even bigger smile than before. She meant that too, she was happy her sister thought she was a good enough warrior that she would be able to help teach her. Sofie would make sure she showed her the ropes, but was gentle. She was still her baby sister, and as much as they fought, she loves her and want to protect her.

Then she watched as her sister grabbed many different colored threads, they were all so beautiful.”Which color do you want first?” Visna asked and Sofie looked for a moment, until she saw an amazing blue. One that looked like he ocean did in the morning. She remembered that her father had said that was his favorite color of the ocean. When it was mooring and it was a deeper blue, before the sun was all over it and it lighten. Biting her lip she slowly reached forward and pointed to the deep blue one. "Lets use that one first please." she said before smiling at Visna again. "Thanks again for helping me...it means a lot Visna." she told her sister before looking toward the dress. So she would be ready to watch and see every detail of what she showed her. Then she would stay and make one in front of her. So she knew she was going to be able to do it right on her own.

Sofie was glad to see the smile on her sisters face when she said ”I can’t wait.” to her. She was glad Visna was excited and hoped she stayed that way when she saw how hard training really could be. Sofie was going to make sure that Visna could take most people down with a small weapon, and that was going to be difficult. That meant Visna was going to need to become stronger, and get more muscles on her body. It was going to take time, but Sofie was going to make sure that when she was done with her, Visna could really protect herself. ”Who else could I ask to? Visna said next and this actually warmed her heart a bit. There were two other people they both know she could have asked, but the way she worded it, made Sofie smile so bright. "Thats true we all know I'm the best" she said with a small laugh. It wouldn't be Sofie if she didn't slip a joke or two into a situation."But I need a general idea of when you have free time so we can start soon." she said to her next. The sooner they started, the better in Sofie's mind.

"I'll go and order something from Hankon this week. Or maybe whatever it is that he is going to be giving us will work too." she added next.She still needed to go and get whatever it was that her sister had said he had for all of them. She hoped Visna would go soon too. So she could see what he gave her too.If it was something small it would be perfect, but for all she knew he could be giving them something other than a weapon. What that could be,she wasn't sure, but she would just have to wait and see whatever it was when she went there tomorrow. She really should have done a better job of listening to Freyja when she had told them about it.

She then watched as her sister shook her head before saying ”It’s nothing Sofie,” in return to her thanking her once more. She then reached back and squeezed Sofie's shoulder. ”Thank you for asking me.” she said next and Sofie nodded."Who else would I ask, but the person who is the best?" she said to her. Sofie wished she could put into words how much her willingness to help meant to her. Thats why she kept saying thank you. She was so grateful, that after this she would be able to do it on her own without it turing out horrible. ”Okay! So, you said carnations, right? Visna said next and Sofie just nodded her head yes. She made sure to watch her sisters every move. Wanting to miss nothing at all. ”See, you can start from here.” Visna said as she pointed to an area of the dress. Sofie was forever shocked at how good Visna was at this. She made it look so easy as she slowly told her what to do step by step.

When she was done making the flower Sofie looked at it in awe. It looked just like how she had been picturing it in her mind. How she had been trying to make it herself. ”How does it look?” Visna asked as she showed her."It's perfect." she said as she gently took the dress from her sisters hands to look at it more closely."You are truly amazing at this. You made it look so easy!" she said as she reached down and grabbed the thread and needle from her sister."Now I shall try, and you can tell me what I'm doing wrong if I make a mistake." Sofie said as she sat in the chair next to her sister. Slowly trying to follow each step she had been told to do.

Sofie nodded her head at her sister when she heard her say  ”It’s not like I have a real job, you know?” about when she was going to have free time to go training.Followed by ”I am here just to help mother, I am sure she will not mind me missing for a couple of hours a day. That was true. She was just learning from their mother at the moment. She was not a full dressmaker yet."Thats true, well we will start as soon as we have a weapon for you then. In the mornings, after I finish training with the other vikings." she told Visna with a smile. She wanted to start as soon as possible, but they needed a good weapon for her first. One that she could hide and be able to pull out anywhere without problem. Then they moved their conversation to Hankon and whatever the heck they were suppose to get from him.”Oh right. Freyja said something about that to me too." Visna said to her. "Well try to go soon, I plan to go tomorrow. I guess he wants us all to come on our own. So make time to go soon so we can see if what he is giving you will be something I can train you with. If not I'll order something." Sofie told her younger sister. She hoped Visna would go, and not feel uncomfortable doing so. For she would have to bring whatever her gave her back on her own.

Sofie smiled at Visna when she said ”That’s true, we all know I am the best. back to her calling her the best. She just nodded her head. She really did think she was the best, well next to their mother, but she wasn't going to ask her mother. Most likely never was going to ask he mother for help. Now that she knew she could come to Visna without her being mean, she would come to her for things like this from now on. She hoped once she started training her, that she would come to her for those types of things as well. This could be there new thing. Sofie would get help with her dress, and Visna could get help getting stronger. The idea put a smile on her face. The idea of getting closer to her sister in a new way where they would fight a little less. Sure once the month was over she was going to go back to pranking her sister, but for now Visna was prank free. She wondered if it would help them keep getting closer. Would she stop pranking her forever if that was the case? Sofie wasn't sure at the moment.

Sofie had watched he sister and told her how good she was at the flower and could hear the happiness in her sisters voice when she said ”Thank you,” in reply. She was just telling her the truth. She was amazing, and way better then Sofie was ever going to be. ”It isn’t too difficult, I promise.” She said, but all Sofie did was raise eyebrow at her. I might not be hard for her, but it was super hard for Sofie. Thats why she was here in the first place. She sat there and made the flower slowly with Visna's help. It had taken her four times as long as it had taken Visna, but in the end she had a flower that looked just like the one her younger sister had made for her. Sofie hadn't realized just how happy she was until she felt her face was getting wet. She was so happy that she has done it that she had a few small tears come out. Not full on crying, but a few here and there.

She had been so frustrated with herself before, and here she was now able to do it. She could now work on her dress, and have an item that she would be proud of in the end. "I did it!" she said as she looked up from the flower to her sister. " You actually showed me how, and I did it all on my own. Thank you. I was sure I would never get to finish this dress" she said as she leaned forward and hugged her sister. Sofie wasn't a hugger, she only did it on special occasions. This was one of those occasions." I think you can be prank free for the next two months if you promise to help if I need it again, and promise to listen to me and what I say when we do start training you" she said next to her. Her smile turning into her normal smirk again for a moment." Deal? As long as you don't piss me off that is?" she said next with a small laugh. Two months would be a long time, but if Visna would listen to her without too much mouth, then training her would be a lot easier.