Astrid's P.O.V.

"...I can't believe that stupid, over-zelled, son of a half-troll!" I shouted as I walked away from the new forage, into the forest. "I don't care if I'm insulting our queen. They stopped being my rulers a long time ago!" I screamed the last few words, back at the crowd, as if they could hear me with the distance I've put between us.

I stormed away from the forage opening in an absolute rage. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were being so ridiculous! Prince Hayden wouldn't let them tour his castle if his life depended on it; his horse is too high. Suddenly, someone rammed into me and snapped their hand over my mouth before pulling me into the undergrowth. I froze as a stampede of girls ran by, all squealing excitedly. I started to breathe heavily as I noticed that Prince Hayden was the one holding me still when I tried to stand up.

"Shh," he breathes in my ear and I pause as he looks after the crowd. When they're out of sight, I grab his wrist and pull his hand from my mouth.

"Prince Hayden," I greet after clearing my throat.

"Oh, no please, ca-" he cuts off with a pause as he looks at me, "call me Hiccup." His eyes were looking at me with a scary expression and I smacked his hand away as he attempted to help me up. "Uh, I'm sorry, m'lady, I was just in kind of a rush," he apologizes. I fixed the strap of my satchel before looking around and continuing down the road.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," I say sarcastically.

"Uh, wait a minute, what's your name?" he asks as he walks after me.

"None of Your Business, of Berk," I say over my shoulder. He pauses in the road, giving up with trying to keep up with me.

"Hang on, come back here," he orders but I don't break stride.

"Fat chance, your highness," I said before pushing through a grove of pine trees.

"If you don't I'll hire some guards to bring you to the castle," he calls and I freeze in my tracks. I sigh before slowly turning around and walking back to him.

"What?" I ask, with not much respect, when I'm in front of him.

"You have some nerve talking to me like that," he says, hands on his hips.

"And you have some nerve sending my father into war when he obviously wasn't well," I say coolly before starting along my path again.

"I was serious about those guards!" he shouts after me.

"I did what you said, that means they can't make me do squat!" I call over my shoulder, not breaking stride. I emerged from the grove of pines and looked over my shoulder with a smirk. He didn't have the guts to push through a bunch of branches. He doesn't want to risk getting sap on his precious clothes. Okay, I guess I can't say I blame him. I have a heck of a time getting it out of my clothes every night. In case it wasn't obvious, I hate him, and his family. I'm about to continue to my mother's saddle shop, but someone falls from the pine branches a few feet to my right. My head snapped toward them and my jaw dropped.

"Okay, if you let me hide out with you for a while, I'll call off the guards," Hayden pants as he looks behind him in fear.

"What's the matter, can't stand the fact that people love you for driving this kingdom into the ground?" I ask in fake sympathy before walking forward.

"Not really," he says as he jogs after me, his lungs heaving. I sigh/growl from deep in my chest.

"Fine," I say, trying to be calm, "But once I say, you're gone."

"Why?" he whines, as if he was a kid trying to understand why his dad was going on a very long trip that might result in death.

"Because, just because you're the prince, doesn't mean I have to show you my daily routine. I have a very private life that I don't like to share with people," I explain as he follows me deeper into the woods.

"Should I be worried?" he asks and I pause, making him freeze when he reaches my shoulder.

"Yes," I say ominously before giving him a creepy look and continuing to my family's house. Suddenly, a bunch of screaming sounds from down the way.

"Damn, these girls are like bloodhounds," Hayden cries and I roll my eyes before grabbing his arm. I might despise him but I don't think that even he should have to endure Ruffnut and Tuffnut. They claimed to be his biggest fans but everyone knew it was Heather. I pulled him to the side of my house and open the cellar. He pauses as he sees the cobwebs and dust.

"It's this or my brother's room. And he has weapons just lying around, while a hatred for you boils in his veins, stronger than the heat of the sun," I say and he jumps into the cellar before I close the door and secure the chains. I just hope it was dark enough in there to keep him from seeing my mothers memorabilia. I throw my bag on the hook in the barn before attaching my horse's bridle to a lead. I then lead her outside and walk her around the yard, trying to act like I didn't just shove a prince into my dusty old cellar.

"Hey, Astrid!" I groan before turning to face Ruff, Tuff, and Heather. "You didn't by any chance see a tall handsome hunk that's way out of your league run by here, did you?" Tuffnut asks and I roll my eyes.

"Oh, you mean Prince Hunk-a-Hiccup?" I ask and Ruffnut blushes as I expose her nickname for him. "Yeah, he went back to the castle. Said something about not liking what I call air," I said, using words we'd all expect of him. Not to mention they were the words those three have said to me countless times.

"Surprises me he came this way at all," Heather says in contempt. Preach, sista'! You just witnessed history. Heather and I never agree on anything. Not even what day it is.

"Hey! What'd I tell you guys about coming here?!" my brother shouts as he walks outside. He swung his sword with as much skill as my father and the group screams before running off, spooking Stormfly in the process. I calm her down as my brother watches my school-hood tormentors run down the way. "Sorry, girl," he apologized as he stroked my horses neck.

"Aaron, was that the most necessary thing to do?" I ask as I pet her nose.

"I'd say so, yeah," he says, "Remember how they acted when Father didn't come home from war? If they get to act like a bunch of jackasses, they belong hitched to my wagon."

"They don't understand what it's like to lose their father because of a stupid inexperienced prince," I tell him.

"Don't worry. He won't be running the country. Next time he goes for a hunt, and I'm on the patrol, a 'bear' will attack him, and he won't make it out of the forest alive. And once I return with the bad news, Father will finally be able to rest in peace," Aaron says.

"Oh, how I long for the day," I sigh and he hugs me before going inside. I then saddle Stormfly up before going back to the cellar and pulling Prince Hayden out by his collar.

"Whoa, whoa, okay, let me go," he says and I release him only to have him fall on his side.

"You seriously tell me to let you go, without being ready?" I ask with a roll of my eyes.

"I tripped on something," he complains.

"Probably your ego," I mutter as I mount Stormfly.

"I heard that," he grumbles.

"You were supposed to," I reply, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have errands to run."

"Can I get a ride to the castle gates?" he asks, standing up and dusting himself off. I freeze.

"Are your legs broken?" I ask.

"No, but a horse is faster," he says calmly and I grip the reins tightly with a low growl.

"Get. On, before I change my mind," I hiss and he gets on the saddle behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Get along," I order Stormfly as I kick her side gently and she starts trotting down the road. "Can you go any slower? Lets go!" I cheer and she lets out a happy whinny before galloping down the way, Hayden tightening his grip as we gain speed. We get to the outskirts of the village and she slows to a walk. "How do I know this isn't a trap?" I ask, giving the reins a small tug to signal her to stop.

"What do you mean?" Hayden asks.

"You just happen to get a ride to the castle from us? Seems suspicious to me," I tell him.

"You want me to walk from here?" he asks with a sigh.

"That'll be ten shillings," I say, holding out my hand. He rolls his eyes before putting the money in my palm and getting off my horse. He obviously had money to throw away. I put the coins in my pouch before looking at him.

"It has been a pleasure making your acquaintance, m'lady," he says, bowing low.

"The feeling is not mutual I'm afraid," I say with a simple voice before Stormfly takes off through the village.