Prince Meets Peasant (Hiccstrid) (On hold)

Chapter 7

Astrid's P.O.V.

I squeezed my eyes shut as the man slowly leaned toward my ear. "I need you to struggle as little as possible, understand?" he whispered, "The more you move, the more it'll hurt."

"Then don't do it, please," I say, not meaning for my voice to be as quiet as it was.

"It's already infected, princess," he says gently as he caressed my cheek and stroked it with his thumb, his eyes soft as he stared at me.

He then held my hand, palm up, and quickly yet gently spread his paste over the stitches. Shards of glass are jabbed into my skin and fire ants scatter across my skin and burrow into the gash. I felt a scream rising from deep in my throat and snapped my hand over my mouth before it escaped my lips. I guess I was trying to get away, because his grip tightened around my wrist. I squeezed my eyes shut in agony and a few minutes later, the pain slowly ebbed. I opened them again to see the guy re-wrapping my hand. When he was done, he held it firmly and looked at me, his eyes showing a smirk.

"You think you would have been able to do that?" he asks.

"No," I say after a pause, "You were right."

"I usually am," he says light heartedly.

"I don't get you," I state bluntly.

"What don't you get?" he asks.

"Most kidnappers wouldn't care if their prisoner was injured. Why do you heal a wound with care?" I ask.

"Because I'm not most kidnappers," he says, "In fact, I'm so different that I will be releasing you in no worse condition than when I recieved you."

"'Received' me?" I repeat and he nods.

"For lack of better wording," he explains.

"When will you be releasing me?"

"Leave that to me. All you need to know is your family won't be worrying where you are tomorrow," he says.

"Will that be the last time we cross paths?" I ask.

"'Fraid not, princess," he chuckles. Suddenly, my eyelids become heavy and I grew weary. The guy gently pushed my shoulder to the log against my back and had me lay down. It was almost as if he was expecting this.

"What did you do?" I ask drowsily.

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about. Just don't fight it," he says before my eyes slipped closed and my senses drifted.

Next day

I woke up to see sunlight pouring into my room and spreading out on my bed. I stumbled to my door and threw it open before practically falling down the stairs. "Who's there?!" Aaron shouts as he runs into the room, battle ax raised. I run forward and throw my arms around his chest. "Astrid!" he shouted as he dropped his weapon and returned the hug. "Where have you been, are you okay?!"

"I have no idea, and I'm fine," I tell him and he pulls back to examine me.

"What happened to your hand?!" he snaps.

"Heather had a shard of glass," I tell him. He grabbed it and pressed it to his lips before pulling me back to his chest.

"Astrid?" I look to the doorway to the kitchen before running to my mother.

"Mother!" I cried as she snapped her arms around me.

"Oh, thank Thor you're okay," she sobbed, soaking my hair with her tears.

"Bucket!" I gasped before running for the door.

"Astrid!" Aaron called as he followed me to the barn.

"What?" I ask as I go to Stormfly.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, but for all I know, Bucket gave our meat away so we gotta go to town," I tell him as I mount. He gets on his own horse before following me down the way. We race to town and Stormfly rears up outside the butcher shop. "I win!" I cheered before dismounting.

"Definitely not. If anything it was a tie!" Aaron argues before following me in.

"Bucket, please tell me you saved the meat," I beg and said man smiles softly before putting the packages on the counter.

"It's all there, lass," he says.

"Thank you so much!" I sigh in relief before grabbing the largest package and leaving the other two for Aaron. I walked back out to Stormfly and froze when I saw who she was sniffing. "What do I have to do to get you to leave me alone?!" I shout at Hayden as I tied the packages to the saddle.

"First, repeat after me. 'I, fill in your name'," he says quickly and I roll my eyes.

"I fill in your name," I repeat and his shoulders slump. "You can't use speed tactics on me, your highness," I tell him as Aaron came out.

"Who's your friend?" he asks with scorn upon seeing Hayden.

"Prince Hayden, call me Hiccup. Nice to meet you," Hayden says as he extends his hand.

"Aaron Hofferson," Aaron growls, shaking the prince's hand. Hayden furrowed his eyebrows at my brother's tight grip and I slowly grab Aaron's hand before casually pressing my thumb into his wrist. He releases Hayden, who shakes his hand in pain, before mounting Whisperwind. "Astrid, you got it from here?" he asks.

"Yes, I'll be home in a bit," I say and he nods before kicking his horse's flank and shooting down the way, in an obvious rage. I watched him ride into the forest before turning back to Hayden to see him smirking softly at me. "What?" I sigh. He doesn't answer, just keeps staring at me. "Look, I know it's not the most regal name, but it's mine so if you have any cracks to make about it, keep 'em to yourself," I say before he shakes his head, making me pause.

"Why would you want to hide such a pretty name from me?" he asks, taking a step closer.

"Uh..." I drawl as I mount Stormfly, the meat strapped to her saddle. Suddenly, something covers my vision as a cloth is draped over my head. I tie my cloak around my shoulders before flipping my hood up and fixing the cape behind me.

"You. Look. So much better with your cloak," Benny says as her horse walks up to me and Stormfly. "Also, where have you been?!" she shouts.

"Uh..." I say, glancing at Hayden who was staring at me, "I'd rather not talk about it here." Then, without a word, we take off for the tailor's, leaving Hayden in the dust.