How deep is your love (HTTYD)

Part 1

"We should be arriving in Sainte-Menehould within a few hours." The lady told her. "I overheard Madame Antoinette when they were making the final preparations at our last stop."

Astrid's mind wandered. Sainte-Menehould was close to Montmédy and she cursed that she still hadn't found a way to make a quick escape. Those accompanying the carriage had been ever vigilant and would have surely thought it strange upon seeing a lady dressed like an aristocrat running through the thick woods or stealing a horse.

Astrid was sore from sitting the entire time when the six-horse coach finally stopped in the town of Sainte-Menehould. Astrid didn't know what it was but the hairs on her neck were standing at attention. A feeling of foreboding ran through her as they were finally allowed to descend the coach. The servants, dressed as aristocrats, and their entourage were led into a rural inn where they would be eating a light meal before continuing. Astrid sat primly and waved her fan lightly as she observed her surroundings. The townspeople hadn't seemed to notice that their king was dressed as a manservant, yet something kept nagging at her. It was then that she saw it. A man sitting in a corner was looking at the king with such incredulity that he must have uncovered the plot. This could not go over well and Astrid opted for the less than gracious, most lady-like, thing she could think of. She stood up slowly, fanning a bit faster, and said rather breathlessly "Oh my........ I....... I.... feel faint." With that she fell backwards and hit the ground causing the men in the party to crowd around her.

The men, being gentlemen that they were, carefully helped Astrid up as the other ladies tittered on the edges of the crowd, curious to see what was going on. They carefully moved her to lay on one of the couches when she heard one of the ladies whisper "Must be the corset."

Astrid lay there doing the one thing she hated most. Acting all meek and lady-like. Not many knew this but Astrid had punched one of the stable hands in the face when they had tried to get her alone, and Monsieur did that feel good.

Astrid continued acting and she was rather proud of it when she heard one of the men say "She is not fit for travel."

Another gentleman carried her away from prying eyes and into a room. The room was simple, it had a small bed, a table, and a desk by the window. "Do not fret Mademoiselle. A doctor is being summoned for you." Astrid merely let out a painful groan as the man closed the door carefully. Once she was alone in the room she bolted out of the bed and quickly went to the window to open it. She muttered a few French curses she had picked up from her father when he had been drunk and started climbing out the window. Astrid however didn't get very far when the hooped petticoat under her gown would not fit through the window. "Sacre bleu!" She muttered while carefully wiggling and pushing. "MERDE!" Astrid shrieked when she suddenly pitched forward, out the second storey window, and onto a conveniently placed bail of hay below. She quickly crawled out of the pile of hay, several pieces getting caught in her hair and in parts of her large gown.

"My kingdom for a horse." Astrid whispered as she tried to sneak through the town. It was late at night and the town was fairly quiet in the part she was in now. Astrid did not want to become a horse thief but desperate times called for desperate measures. She was nearly to a stable when she ducked down upon hearing a voice. Peeking around the corner she saw the same man from the inn now covertly talking to one of the Bourgeoisie. 'Thank the Lord I got out of there.' Astrid thought as she snuck by undetected. If the Bourgeoisie knew the King was fleeing then nothing good would come out of it. Those associated with this plot would likely be imprisoned forever or hanged. Astrid held her neck momentarily, at least decapitation hadn't been brought up yet as a capital punishment.

She was almost to the stables when a large hand clamped over her mouth and dragged her kicking and squirming into an alleyway. She was slammed against a stone wall as a large, obviously drunken and smelly, man hovered over her. "Why hello there Ma Petite." His crooked teeth were visible from his close proximity to her and she scrunched up her nose before ramming her knee into his groin.

"PAAAAAAH" The man clutched his groin as Astrid tried to make a run for it. However she didn't get far in the uncomfortable heels and the large hooped gown and petticoats. The man recovered faster than she had expected and grabbed her again. He turned her around and Astrid was about to scream when the man produced a knife and stabbed her with it. She gasped in pain and tried to stop the blood from flowing from her abdomen when the man let out a maniacal laugh while saying "You shouldn't have run Ma Petite." He made a motion to pull Astrid towards him but in the blink of an eye he was on the other side of the alley being held up by a woman in a dark red gown. Astrid blinked, the pain was momentarily forgotten as she watched the black-haired woman snap the large man's neck like it was nothing. The woman was her size and build, that should have been physically impossible. Astrid kept her hand on the stab wound but was starting to feel rather sluggish from the blood loss.

"Let me help." The woman offered as she tossed the large burly man away from her like a ragdoll. Astrid gasped as she got a good look as the woman had turned to face her. Black glossy hair, done up in a bun, eyes a crimson red, and two pointy fangs peeking out of red glossed lips.

"What are you?!" Astrid asked as she wanted to back away. "Who are you?"

"Forgive me. You may call me Heather. As for what I am, right now, your savior."

AN2: Who wants more?!!