Prince Meets Peasant (Hiccstrid) (On hold)

Chapter 5

Astrid's P.O.V.

My eyes shot open and I sat up abruptly with a strangled gasp. I gripped my arms and just shivered in the darkness. "Astrid? Are you okay?" Benny asked drowsily as she looked over the edge of her bed. I prop myself up on my forearms, as I leaned back, and let my head hang backwards.

"Fine," I sigh, "Just nightmared."

"Wanna talk?" she asked.

"No. Never proved help," I say. She sighs and lays back down. After a minute, her soft snores filled the room again. After a few more minutes, I lay back down and close my eyes again. Unfortunately, Sleep did not pay its friend a visit. After all I've done for it. I worked myself, drank heated milk, stared at the ceiling, read, and all other possible sleeping techniques...even hugging the blanket. I finally let out a defeated sigh, after tossing and turning for about 30 minutes, and just lay there, eyes open slightly to prevent the memory from coming back. I heard the floor creak the smallest bit but then thought of how old their house was and ignored it. Which I soon found to be a mistake... Suddenly, a firm hand snapped over my mouth and made me jump as my eyes shot wide. My breathing increased in speed as I sensed someone lean toward my ear.

"Shh, shh. Don't wake your friend," a voice whispers in my ear, "It'll be okay." I grabbed their wrist and tried to rip it away from my mouth but--damn he was strong! He pulled me to my feet and ushered me out Benny's bedroom door. As he forced me down the stairs and through the living room, I noticed that he was walking toe-first. Sure-fire way to keep your steps silent. Once we were outside, I tried to break from his hold but his arms held fast. "Stop it," he said calmly into my ear as he pushed me toward a night black horse, its outline only visible by the ray of moonlight. I tried to scream for help but his hand muffled it. 

"Shh. I'll suddenly become a lot let pleasant if you emanate a sound," he hisses softly. You're being pleasant? He lifted me onto the horse and got situated behind me. I was amazed by the fact that I couldn't see his face yet. "Come along," he ordered and his horse started galloping down the way. 

He had one hand reaching around me to grip the reins and the other was still covering my mouth. I gripped the horses mane in white knuckles as he sped through the forest. Tears were now streaming down my cheeks but I dared not let out even a single sobbing breath. Doesn't mean I didn't let out a whimper when the guy pulled my head to his shoulder. His horse slows to a walk as we leave the poorly-defined forest trail. 

"Calm yourself, princess," he says, "If you follow my orders, nothing bad will happen to you. And right now, I have to ask you not to scream." I nodded stiffly and he slowly took his hand away from my mouth. My jaw started moving like lightning and I had to keep my mouth loose to prevent my teeth from clashing together.

"Good girl," the male said into my ear as I stayed silent. I wanted, desperately, to ask who he was and what he wanted but I had no desire to find out his "unpleasant" side. The cold of the night floated around my feet and froze my toes before creeping up my legs, sending goosebumps to scamper over them. I slowly lifted one of my hands, from the horse's mane, to grab the man's hair, and hopefully over power him. Suddenly, he pulled out a dagger and held it to my throat.

"Don't give me any trouble, princess," he orders as he gently lowered my hand to the horse's neck again. I gripped it's mane once more before the man lowered his weapon. "Please remember," he says softly, his lips close to my ear, "I hate to harm you." 

I'm as good as dead, I thought as we continued through the trees. I had at least a dozen chores that I hated, on the farm, but I did them anyway because it had to be done. What if he thinks that killing me had to be done? I could barely see anything in the darkness, making it impossible to recognize if I've been in this part of the forest before. Oh, man, he's clever. Take me in the dead of night to unfamiliar forest so I can't escape with ease. I mean, yes, I practically lived in the forest some days but...there are certain parts that Father taught me never to venture into. Finally, after about half an hour, the horse stopped and the man dismounted before grabbing my waist and lifting me off. He then holds my arm in a firm hand as he pulls me to a log.

"Sit," he orders as he roughly releases me. I do as he says and he ties his horse to a tree branch before taking off his tack.

I still couldn't see a lot but I could tell we were in a clearing. When he's finished, the man walks to the center of the small opening and strikes a fire, lighting his figure up in the night. He was thin but had muscles that made the sleeves of his shirt look a little on the tight side. Or at least snug. When he stood, I saw how tall he was and that made me kinda want to press my back against the log, but for some reason I didn't. Then he had a mask covering his face, so that gave me the smallest amount of comfort. Father had taught Aaron and I that if we were ever kidnapped, for whatever reason, if the captor wore a mask, you never beg them to take it off. And if they do, you shield your eyes. If they wore a mask, it meant they didn't mean death...yet. But if they showed their face, you prayed to Odin you make it out alive. I'm snapped from my thoughts as I heard the crunching of leaves and looked to my left to see the guy had knelt next to my ankle and was tying something around it. When the rope was secure, he walked a few paces into the clearing before tying the other end to a peg sticking out of the dirt. Finishing with that, he looked at me, and I could feel the curiosity of his gaze.

"You know I'd thought you'd ask at least one question by now," he says. I was conflicted. He told me to be quiet but I felt like if I didn't respond, he'd do something. He must have sensed my thoughts because he chuckled softly. "You can speak now, we're far enough from the village," he says and I for some reason stiffened at the amusement in his voice.

"D-Do you wish me to ask questions?" I ask, my voice uncharacteristically small.

"Just so long as you don't scream," he says as he walks toward a log on the opposite side of the clearing. He sits and leans against it before looking at me calmly.

"If ransom is what you seek, my family cannot pay," I tell him.

"Well, good thing that's not it," he says.

"Then what do you want?" I ask.

"Well, that's an interesting story, princess. You see, I travel from village to village, kidnapping strong young women who I then sell as slaves," he says.

"What?" I tried not to shout.

"I'm kidding," he said, as if he couldn't believe I fell for it. I let my head fall against the log with a sigh of relief. "I told you no harm would come to you and I'm a man of my word," he says. I closed my eyes as I tried to calm my heart but nothing happened.

"But you still wish to kill me, correct?" He tilted his head to the side, as if in thought.

"No," he says after a pause with a small shake of his head.

"You have yet to tell me what you want," I say.

"You're a smart girl, I think you'll be able to figure it out soon enough," he says as he stirs the fire.