999 A.D

As a girl Astrid could recall her mother telling her that the sky, when it was bedarkened and weeping, was a sign of thunderstorms, created by the almighty Thor when something had angered him.

The sky that had once been a glorious, peacock shade of blue had darkened into an angry ash gray, raindrops beginning to fall.

With her slender arms outstretched, Astrid's eyes were clamped shut, leaving her world dark as she paid little attention to her surroundings.

Her tawny brown locks were now damp and unruly, beginning to frizz. Her once, looser fitting, yarn garment was now clinging to her figure uncomfortably like a second skin.

"Dear Odin, Astrid. What the hell is wrong with you?! You're going to catch death out here!" The shrill tone of her mother captured her attention, eyes snapping open to see the sky was now a violent shade of onyx.

Sharp fingernails gripped her forearm, leaving strident flaming marks in their wake as she was roughly tugged in the direction of their longboat house.

As she was pulled through the door, her mother quickly pulled a blanket from her reading chair, wrapping the bears fur around Astrid's shoulders.

A stern frown marred her mother's frustrated features as she peered down at her daughter, her gaze unforgiving. "Did you not hear me child, I asked what the hell was wrong with you- what if your betrothed had seen you?!"

Astrid couldn't help but scoff, shaking her head as she felt the wet coils sticking to her flushed cheeks. "You mean the stranger?"

Perhaps stranger was a slight exaggeration. She knew of Niklaus Mikaelson. Third born son of Esther and Mikael Mikaelson, a handsome young man who was said to be extraordinarily talented in sword fighting.

Astrid was well aware that some of the girls in the village would have done anything to be engaged to the gallant Niklaus, something her mother would constantly point out. However, Astrid was not just some girl.

She didn't want to be some brute of a man's trophy, something pretty to look at till they grew bored. Astrid thought that out of anyone, her mother would have understood her views.

Sending her daughter an aggressive glare, Sigrid silenced any comments that were threatening to seep off Astrid's tongue.

"Watch your tongue, child. You are lucky to be marrying the son of Mikael." Her mother's tone was stern as she began rubbing her daughter's shoulders, a concerned frown itching onto her lips at the sight of her trembling daughter.

As her mother attempted to warm her up, Astrid couldn't help but get one final word in. "Like you were when you were promised to father?"

All understanding and tolerance evaporated like a cloud of dust as Sigrid raised a hand, roughly backhanding the shivering brunette.

If Astrid was fazed by her mother's discipline, she didn't show it; her face void of any emotions.

Roughly pulling the now dripping tower from Astrid's shoulders, Sigrid spoke softly. "Do not speak of things you don't know of, Astrid. Now, get changed out of those wet clothes."

With a gentle push of the shoulder, Astrid was sent on her way to the other end of the extended house.

Goosebumps littered the unblemished skin of her arms as she stood bare in front of the diminishing, crackling flames of the fire.

Reaching down the side of her bed, Astrid pulled a chopped log from underneath before tentatively dropping into the now roaring fire.

Laying out her seemingly ruined garments onto the stools in front of the lively fire, Astrid turned to pull on the slip laid on top of her furs.

Once the flimsy fabric covered her shivering frame, Astrid timidly crawled into the soft furs of her bed, clutching it between her fingers as she embraced the warmth of the fire and her bed.

In one week she would be wed to Niklaus Mikaelson. She would be Astrid Mikaelson, wife of Niklaus.

...

Despite his objectifications, he was soon to be a married man. Perhaps he wouldn't have minded if it was the lovely Tatia Petrova he was betrothed to.

However, despite his apparent affections and his initial attempt to court the olive toned widow, his mother had informed him he would be married to Astrid Ragnulf.

Part of him was convinced this was Mikael's doing, wanting nothing more than to crush any chance of happiness Niklaus could have.

Now he wasn't saying Astrid wasn't visually pleasing, far from it actually. She was a pretty little thing, very petite with long dark hair, pale skin and delicate, feline like features.

It was no secret Kol held affection for the girl, something Nik had only discovered when Mikael had announced the engagement to all of his brothers and Rebekah.

Using the knife to sharpen his fishing spear, the sound of scrapes of metal and an angelic giggle were the only sounds he was paying attention too.

His gaze flickering up to the stunning Tatia, soft giggles leaving her lips as she placed a hand on Elijah's arm.

Glistening doe orbs flickered back to meet his, a teasing smile on her lips when she noticed Niklaus staring.

Pursing her lips, she kept her eyes locked with his, leaning closer to Elijah as she sent him a seductive smirk.

"Niklaus." The sharp tone of his mother brought his gaze from Tatia, wincing as the knife licked his skin, a small, minor cut on the inside of his thumb appearing.

Clearing his throat, Niklaus pressed down on the wound with his finger before meeting his mother's gaze. "Mother."

Casting a glance to the Petrova with a displeasing scowl, Esther took a seat beside him on the wooden log. "You are better without her, my son. Astrid will make a willful wife, her mother is a well-known woman and a good friend of mine." Esther lectured carefully, watching her son's reaction.

"I am sure, mother." He answered, his response robotic and calculated, knowing there was nothing he could say to change his mother's mind.

And even if he had called the marriage off, the girl's reputation would be tarnished, and so would his, meaning he would be forced to flee the village.

He loved his siblings too much to sacrifice everything, even for the lovely Tatia.

Esther smiled. "I'm glad you agree, Niklaus."

...

Guess who's back, back again... So I thought I'd publish my Klaus Oc fic on here, I mainly use Wattpad now but what the hell? Astrid is portrayed by Natalie Dormer. If you enjoyed this, please review for more!