The prince and the wash girl

Astrid

Astrid Hofferson was walking through the poorer part of the village with a large basket of dirty clothes on her hip. She made her way carefully through the street to her parent's house. Her friend, Ruffnut stopped her. Ruffnut and her twin's names were considered strange among the village, but the family insisted it was a family tradition.

"Good morning, Astrid!"

"Morning Ruff! How are you?" Astrid asked, walking over to her friend.

"Oh, I'm fine. Tuff not so much."

"What did you do?"

"Oh, I just pushed him down a hill. You know nothing horrible." Ruff told her breezily.

"I swear you two will end up killing each other one of these days." Astrid said, readjusting her basket, "Well. I better get going. Talk to you later, Ruff."

"See you later."

Astrid continued to make her way to her house. She pulled the door open with her free hand when she got there. Astrid dropped the laundry onto the kitchen floor before entering the dining room for breakfast.

"Good morning, Mother, Father," Astrid said before sitting in her place.

"Good morning, dear. Did you collect the laundry?" Her mother, Phelma, asked.

"I did. It's in the kitchen waiting to be done."

Astrid looked over the table. Her mother sat next to her father, wearing a simple gray gown. Her blond/white hair was in a bun at the nape of her neck. Her father sat wearing a loose shirt and trousers, his hair in a ponytail. Astrid herself wore a simple light blue dress, and her shining golden hair was in a braid down her back.

After breakfast, Astrid went outside to get water to wash the clothes. Afterwards she went to the village well and drew a bucket of water. On her way home, someone shouted, "RUN AWAY HORSE!"

Astrid watched as a brown and white pintabian horse ran through the middle of the path. The rider was clutching at the reins, holding on for dear life. The horse then threw the rider, and she rolled into a tree.

Astrid ran over after putting her water pail down. The girl looked to be a year older than her own 18 years of age. She was wearing a navy-blue hooded cloak. Her riding outfit consisted of a turquoise tunic that went to her knees and brown leggings and boots. The girl's auburn hair was down, but the sides were swept into a bun.