Astrid's P.O.V.

I ripped the arrow out of the deer carcass and put it in my quiver before grabbing the dead animal by it's head and hauling it onto my shoulder. It's blood trickled down my shoulder and I made a mental note to give my cloak a thorough scrubbing later. I trekked through the undergrowth, the dear really weighing me down. Why was it so heavy?! I'm just about to reach the trail but I heard Prince Hayden's voice drift toward me and I peeked through the undergrowth to see him stroking Stormfly's nose.

"Yeah, atta girl," he murmured as she tossed her head. "Yeah, I'm a friend. Sorry 'bout your scare last week. Guess your family really needs some money, huh?"

I could barely believe my ears. The prince of Berk spoke to horses? I thought I was the only one. I pull the deer out and drag it to Stormfly as Hayden looked at me. "So, uh. You talk to horses?" I ask as I tie the animal to Stormfly's saddle.

"Yeah, kinda figured it calms them down quicker. Hey, how'd Stormfly get that scar on her shoulder?" he asks as we mount.

"Uh, hunting accident," I lie.

"Is that the truth?" he asks.

"Maybe," I say as we set off again. After a few minutes of riding in silence, we come to the village. "So are you just gonna follow me around all day?" I ask as I start to run my errands.

"I was thinkin' about it," he says casually.

"Why are you taking such an interest in me?!" I ask him, snapping a little.

"I dunno," he says after a pause, his voice was heavy with thought, "I've just never met a girl like you before." I tug on the reins and Stormfly stops.

"You mean a girl who has no trouble seeing you as an average joe who has ruined her life?" I ask.

"What?" his voice was very heavy with confusion.

"You heard me," I say before Stormfly trots to the butcher shop. I dismount her and untie my catches from her saddle before dragging everything inside. "Hey, Bucket," I grunt as I put everything on the counter.

"Astrid, this is gonna be about 50 shillings," he says apologetically.

"What?" I whine, "Come on, Bucket, my family's in a bind. Can you just do this for me?"

"I'm sorry, darling. My business is about to go into the ground," he says.

"How? People are still hunting aren't they? They come in, you clean their meat, and they pay you. You use that money for food. How can you be going down?" I ask.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes.

"Bucket, please. Just until Aaron gets off the guard," I plead and he tries not to meet my eye. Eventually, he sighs in defeat.

"You're lucky I think of you as a daughter," he says and a small smile plays on his lips. I shout a thank you before hugging him from across the counter. "Come back tomorrow," he orders, patting my back.

"Thank you so much, I will find a way to make it up to you," I say as I walk outside. I then freeze as I see a crowd of girls screaming in excitement. Then, I saw a flash of auburn hair in the tangle of arms and bodies.

"Ah! M'lady! A little help please?!" Hayden shouted as he tried to fight his way through the crowd.

"He called me his lady!" a voice, that was obviously Heather's, screams. I smirked and raised my hand before waving lazily at him as I strolled over to Stormfly.

"Uh, girl whose name I don't know! Please!" he screamed, "Ah! Hey, don't do that!" I mounted Stormfly and she trotted to the village tailor. When we got to the other side of the village, I got down and walked inside to see my mother standing on the pedestal, looking like a maiden-in-waiting.

"Astrid, darling...what would you do if I didn't go to this galla?" she asks, seeing me in the mirror. I sigh as I sit in a chair.

"Well, I guess Aaron or I would have to go in your place. Can you really not do it?" I ask.

"I don't think I can. It was the last think your father and I attended together," she murmurs.

"Well, at least one resident of every household needs to be in attendance. If you decide you can't handle it, let us know," I say and she nods. "For the record, you look beautiful," I say and she smiles at me. Her dress was almost like a light blue hue. It had a white section down the middle of the front and the whole thing had flakes of gold sewn into the fabric.

"It's been forever since I've worn a dress like this," she sighs, "I'm afraid I can't pull it off anymore." I roll my eyes. She then looked at me with a look in her eyes I haven't seen in a long time. "Why don't you try it on?" she asks, a mischievous look in her gaze.

"Uh, because you're all regal and cooking, and I'm rough-house and hunting," I say before she chuckles and steps off the pedestal. 

"Come along now," she says as she grabs my hand and pulls me to the changing room. We share a laugh as we change. When I walk out, now clothed in the gown, I have to admit. I felt not normal.

"Ooh," I said with furrowed eyebrows and my mouth formed in a straight line as I looked myself up and down, standing on the pedestal, "This is weird." The seamstress comes in and starts to finish the base as my mother walks around me, examining my body.

"Maybe you should go to the galla," she suggests.

"Oh, no, Mother. I can't be around the royal family for that long," I say, "Perhaps Aaron would be able to handle it a tad better."

"Yes. He's held his head high since your father's death. But I think you'd be strongest in this arena," she says. I looked at her to realize that she was right. Aaron was carrying the family on his shoulders now. I was trying to help him as much as I could but he rarely gave me anything to do. So I kinda take things into my own hands. There was a lot he could do. But one thing Aaron can't do is go to a galla where he'd be able to get Prince Hayden alone. He'd break. Maybe...just maybe...I was the only one that could go. I could restrain myself the longest out of the three of us.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" a voice asks and I look through the mirror to see Hayden standing in the doorway. I glance at my mother before nodding to him respectfully as the Seamstress stands up.

"May I help you with something, your highness?" she asks, bowing in respect, my mother following suit.

"Oh, please, stand, stand. And call me Hiccup," he orders and they do so. "And as for helping me, uh, I'm just here for this little lady to tell me her name," he says as he walks around me lazily.

"Don't you dare...speak of me in that way again," I growl.

"Honey," my mother scolds, obviously worried he might do something. I give her a reassuring look as the seamstress finishes the last touches on the dress. I go to step down but Hayden puts a hand up to stop me.

"Ah, ah, ah," he says as his eyes dart over my body. I try to step down on the other side but he moves like lightning and blocks my path. "Ha, ha, tell me your name and I'll let you down," he chuckles smugly.

"You are so freaking lucky I'm in a party dress," I growl.

"Looks like you're not as fortunate," he says in amusement. I cross my arms.

"I might be in a dress but I can still do stuff to get passed you," I tell him in a hushed voice.

"What?" he asks before I grab his shoulders and flip my body over him, landing gracefully behind him before rushing to the changing area.