Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Chapter Text
Hiccup wasn't sure how he wound up tied to a tree, but here he was. Standing nearby were several of Johann's men. Johann himself was nowhere to be found. He'd overheard whispers about placing bets on what Johann was going to do to him.
The Dragon Rider wracked his brain trying to remember how he got captured but couldn't recall. He remembered feeling more tired than normal as he and his friends made camp on the island where they were mining for iron ore and something about the color purple. Next thing he knew, he was waking up tied to a tree.
He had tried shouting for help, but one of the Hunters immediately put a stop to it by shoving a rag in his mouth and tying it in place. He wondered if his friends were even looking for him or if they too had been captured. What about the dragons? Where was Toothless? Did they take just him and leave everyone else behind? Was he even still on the same island? So many questions ran through his mind as he heard Johann starting to shout in the distance.
"What do you mean the dragon got away? It can't fly!" Johann screamed. "The boy is useless without the dragon. Without that wretched beast, we can't get the rest of the lenses."
Hiccup couldn't hear whoever he was yelling at reply, but he could hear Johann stomping in his direction. As freaked out as he was, he was glad they didn't have Toothless. And if they didn't have Toothless, chances are they didn't have the rest of the riders or their dragons either. He just had to hold out long enough for them to find him. He could do that, right?
The Riders woke up to the unmistakable sound of a Night Fury roaring. Everyone jumped to their feet just as Toothless broke through the clearing, making a mad dash for Astrid.
"What is it, Toothless?" Astrid asked, reaching her hand out.
Toothless started pacing and roaring like he was in distress.
"Astrid, look at his tail," Fishlegs said, pointing to the massive gash on the black dragon's tail. "He's been hurt."
The blonde warrior stepped closer and managed to place her hand on Toothless's snout. Toothless stopped pacing, and his roars turned into concerned croons. "It's okay, boy." She looked around. "Where's Hiccup?"
The other riders looked around as well and couldn't see any sign of their leader. Toothless started roaring again, pointing his head toward the beach where they landed.
"Fishlegs, you stay here with Toothless," Astrid ordered. "Take care of that wound. Everyone else, let's head to the beach."
"Well, Hiccup, fancy meeting you here," Johann taunted as he removed Hiccup's gag.
"What do you want, Johann?" Hiccup demanded, hoping his voice sounded strong.
Johann pulled out a dagger and pointed it at Hiccup. "What I've always wanted, the King of Dragons. And you are going to help me get it." He waved the dagger around. "And if you don't, well..." He slammed the dagger into the tree right next to Hiccup's ear.
Hiccup couldn't help but flinch, a reaction he knew Johann enjoyed, but it was an involuntary reaction. He made up for it by glaring at Johann. "I won't help you."
Johann let out a bored sigh as he pulled out the dagger. "Pity. I was really hoping you would." He shoved the rag back into his mouth. "Oh well, guess we do this the hard way."
He repositioned the dagger in his hand and plunged it into Hiccup's left shoulder. Hiccup bit down on the rag and tried to swallow the urge to scream. Johann pulled the dagger out and repeated the action on his right shoulder. This time the Dragon Rider couldn't swallow the scream. Even though it was muffled, the sound was music to Johann's ears.
Johann left the dagger in this time and knelt down. He untied the rope that held Hiccup's prosthetic leg in place and removed said leg. He rolled up the pant leg and studied the burn scars that cover the stump. "I'm quite impressed. I didn't realize you had such," he pulled out another dagger and ran the flat of the blade across the scarring, "intricate scars. Did you know that scar tissue can be extra sensitive to anything that comes in contact with it?"
Hiccup's leg twitched from the blade running across the stump. He wanted so desperately to pull away, but there was nowhere to go.
"If you tell me where the lenses are, I'll stop right here," Johann promised, his tone indicating otherwise.
Hiccup shook his head, feeling dizzy as he did. He could feel the blood from the stab wounds soaking through his tunic. He wondered how long he'd last without help.
Johann stood back up, leaving the stump alone for now. Instead he walked over to one of his Hunters and grabbed a club from him. He stepped back over and, without hesitation, swung it straight at Hiccup's ribcage.
Astrid, Snotlout, and the twins landed on the beach and were shocked to find it littered with crates with the Dragon Hunter symbols on them.
"Hunters," Astrid growled as she jumped off Stormfly. "They must have taken Hiccup while we were sleeping."
"Wouldn't we have heard them?" Tuffnut wondered. "They're not exactly quiet."
"And Hiccup would have put up a fight if they tried taking him," Ruffnut added. "We would have definitely woken up to that."
Astrid bit her lip. "I don't know how this happened, but we're going to find out. First things first, Ruff, Tuff search the island. Maybe they're still here. Snotlout, help me look through these crates maybe; they left behind a clue or something."
"Got it, Astrid," Snotlout said as he climbed off of Hookfang.
"There, that should do it," Fishlegs said as he tied off the bandage around Toothless's tail. "Once we got it cleaned up, it didn't look so bad. Once we get back to the edge, I'll take another look."
Toothless gave an appreciative roar and nudged Fishlegs, thanking him. "You're welcome, Toothless," Fishlegs said with a small smile. "And don't worry; I'm sure they'll find Hiccup in no time."
The Night Fury nudged Fishlegs again, this time with more urgency. He tilted his head toward his saddle, letting out a small croon.
"You want me to get on?" Fishlegs guessed, already grabbing his saddlebag. Toothless nodded, nudging him one last time. "Okay. Okay." He looked over at his Gronkle. "Meatlug, come on. Toothless is taking us somewhere."
The husky Dragon Rider climbed onto Toothless's back, and the two took off toward the beach, with Meatlug following close behind.
Chapter Text
Toothless landed on the beach and promptly kicked Fishlegs off of him. There was no malice behind it. Time was of the essence if he was going to save his rider, and the extra weight would just slow him down. He ran over to a spot where there were no crates and started digging.
The rider and their respective dragons watched as the Night Fury pulled something out of the sand. It was a canister.
"I recognize those," Snotlout stated, walking over to pick it up. "It's what the Hunters used to knock out Hiccup and Toothless when we took down the Dragon Fighting Ring."
"Were they planning on taking them back there?" Fishlegs wondered.
"Toothless is here, though, and not with him," Astrid pointed out. "Maybe they used it on all of us so they could grab him without us knowing."
"Then how did Toothless get hurt?" Snotlout asked, gesturing to the Night Fury, who was still sniffing the sand.
Fishlegs shrugged. "Maybe they meant to take both of them, but Toothless woke up and tried to stop the Hunters. He got hurt and couldn't go after them."
"Then why leave him?" Astrid questioned. None of this was making any sense. "If he was incapacitated, they would have still taken him."
"Even injured, Toothless is still a threat, and the Hunters are usually more worried about self-preservation," Fishlegs answered. "They'd rather leave with half their prize than try and go after Toothless."
Just then Toothless roared, getting everyone's attention. The other dragons got the message and were soon on high alert.
"I think he's picked up Hiccup's scent," Fishlegs stated.
Astrid rushed over to her betrothed's dragon and climbed on. "Snotlout, go get the twins. We're getting Hiccup back. Fishlegs, once we're in the air, send a Terror Mail to Berk letting them know what's going on."
Hiccup groaned as his vision went fuzzy from the blow to his ribcage. He was certain Johann had just broken a couple of ribs. Johann tossed the club to the side and yanked the dagger out of Hiccup's shoulder. The madman knelt down and took his blade to Hiccup's stump once more. "Ready to give me those lenses, boy?"
If Hiccup could spit on the man, he would. Instead he opted to simply glare at him, hoping his expression was answer enough. He knew that if he gave in, not only would Johann win, but he'd kill him once he had what he wanted.
"So be it," Johann grinned as he sliced into Hiccup's stump.
The rider groaned from the pain as tears began to fall from his eyes. He made no attempt to hold them back. He was exhausted and wanted to do nothing more than sleep, but Johann wasn't about to let that happen. He just had to hope his friends would get here before it was too late.
Astrid scanned the ocean as they flew above, hoping to spot a Hunter ship. If they got lucky, Hiccup might be on it. If not, they would at least have prisoners to interrogate. Hunters always knew what was going on. The word 'secret' didn't seem to be in their vocabulary.
After flying for over three hours, Toothless spotted an island and started flying toward it. Astrid gripped his saddle, slowing him down. "Easy, Toothless. If Hiccup is down there, we need a plan."
"Uh, Astrid," Fishlegs called out as he looked through his spyglass. "You might want to see this." He flew closer to her and tossed the spyglass.
The blonde warrior caught it and looked down at the island. On the beach were a bunch of Hunters, who seemed to be standing around watching something. She looked at what they were looking at and nearly dropped the spyglass.
"Let's go, Toothless," Astrid urged, no longer caring about making a plan. There wasn't time for one.
Hiccup's head hung, chin resting against his chest, and his breathing was ragged. He didn't know how long Johann had been using him as a punching bag, but he was ready for it to be over. His gag was removed at some point when they realized he didn't have the strength to scream anymore.
He'd been beaten, stabbed, sliced, and burned. He was positive he had at least two, maybe three, broken ribs. His shoulders' wounds had stopped bleeding at some point, but he knew that there was significant damage to them. He couldn't remember when he was burned, just that Johann had picked up some firewood and pressed it against his neck. His stump was still actively bleeding. Johann made sure of that by cutting into it after every beating. He also wasn't sure when it happened, but there was an arrow in his right thigh.
The Dragon Rider kept drifting in and out of consciousness. Every time, Johann would punch him in the face and scream at him to stay awake. He wasn't allowed any kind of rest until he gave up the lenses.
Hiccup spit out a mouthful of blood and managed to lift his head enough to look up at the sky for a brief second. And in that second he knew this was over. He looked at Johann. "Why did you need Toothless?"
Johann glared at him. "That Night Fury was going to be my bargaining chip. You'll do anything for that damned beast. You would have given in by now just to keep him from getting hurt."
"And if that didn't work?" Hiccup asked, trying to buy time.
"I'd kill him and start hurting you," Johann answered. "What are you getting at, boy?"
"Oh, nothing, but you should know by now that our bond goes two ways," Hiccup stated. "If you hurt me, there's nothing that's going to stop Toothless from saving me."
As if on cue, a plasma blast hit the beach, causing the Hunters to scatter. And soon chaos descended on the beach as the other dragons and their riders joined in trying to get to Hiccup. Johann took the opportunity to rip the arrow out of Hiccup's thigh and jam it into his arm. He then took his last dagger and stabbed it into the bottom of his stump. Before Hiccup could react or he could be stopped, he ran off into the woods, leaving his Hunters to fend for themselves. They were replaceable after all.
As the chaos cleared, Toothless and Astrid landed right in front of Hiccup. Astrid drew her axe and cut the ropes with a single swing. Hiccup immediately collapsed to the ground, and for a brief moment, relief that he had been found numbed the pain he was in.
Astrid knelt down and took his head into her lap. She looked over at the other riders. "Fishlegs, in my saddlebag are several rolls of bandages; bring them here. Snotlout, try and see where Johann went. I don't want him getting away. Ruff and Tuff stand guard in case the Hunters come back."
She looked back down at Hiccup, who was doing his best to stay awake. "Hey, babe. We got here as soon as we could."
"You're here now," Hiccup replied, fighting the pull of unconsciousness. "That's what matters."
"Don't worry, we'll get you back to Gothi, and she'll fix you right up," Astrid promised. "You can rest now, and when you wake up, we'll be home."
Hiccup didn't argue as he let his eyes close. He trusted Astrid to keep her word.
At that moment, Fishlegs arrived with the bandages, and the two set to work, wrapping up their best friend's wounds as best they could without jostling him too much. Toothless stood close by, sniffing his rider and crooning with concern.
"Help me get him on Toothless," Astrid said, looking at Fishlegs. "The faster we get back to Berk, the better his chances. You stay here and help search for Johann. If you don't find him, head back to the Edge until I send word."
The husky Dragon Rider obliged and helped her get Hiccup onto his dragon. Once she was in position, Toothless took to the air in the direction of their home.
Notes:
If you are enjoying the story, please consider dropping a review.
Until next time
Chapter Text
Just as the sun was beginning to set, Astrid reached Berk. She immediately flew to Gothi's hut, where Gobber and Stoick were already waiting. They appeared to be conversing with Gothi about other matters. But that wasn't important anymore. She was just glad they were there.
"Hiccup's hurt," Astrid stated as the two older men rushed over to her and Toothless. "I don't know how bad. We found him like this."
"It's going to be okay, lass," Gobber soothed as Stoick carefully picked Hiccup up and carried him into Gothi's hut. "He's here now."
Astrid unhooked her feet from Toothless's saddle and just let herself fall to the floor. She didn't have the energy to keep going. Gobber got down next to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You did good, lass. Why don't I go get your parents, and they can take you home?"
She shook her head. "No. I need to make sure Hiccup is going to be okay after what Johann did to him."
"Johann did this?" Gobber repeated.
Astrid nodded, feeling hot tears stain her cheeks. "The Hunters took Hiccup after knocking us out with some kind of gas. Toothless tried to stop them but got hurt, so they got away. It took us hours to find him. In that time Johann tortured him. We still don't know why. He got away shortly after we showed him. I watched him stab that arrow into Hiccup's arm and dagger into his stump."
Gobber felt rage boil up inside him as Astrid recounted what she knew. He did his best to keep a lid on it because he couldn't do anything about it now. For now all he could do was offer the young woman comfort.
Toothless padded over to them and gave both an affectionate nudge before heading over to the Healer's hut. He sat in the doorway watching as Gothi removed the blood-soaked bandages and Hiccup's clothes, careful not to disturb the arrow and dagger. In no time at all, Hiccup was in nothing but his skivvies.
Gothi and Stoick worked together to clean the blood away so she could sew up his wound. Once she was done with his shoulders, she carefully removed the arrow, cleaned the wound, and sewed it shut. She then grabbed a jar off the table, dipped her fingers in it, and applied the herbal salve over the wounds and scattered bruising.
The Night Fury noticed his human's eyes flitting back and forth beneath his eyelids, but he did not wake. Occasionally a groan or whimper would escape his lips, but he didn't speak. He went back to watching the other two humans as they moved down to his stump. Gothi examined the many cuts to the stump before removing the dagger with practiced ease. Hiccup let out another pained groan as she began stitching his stump back together. Once done, she coated his leg with the salve and wrapped it up in clean bandages.
Stoick sat his son up, helping her wrap more bandages around his neck, shoulders, and chest. She then wrapped another one around the wound on his thigh after applying what remained of the salve to it. Both, content that they had done all they could, headed for the door to discuss Hiccup's injuries with Astrid and Gobber.
Toothless moved out of the way. He looked at Stoick's hands as he passed by and noticed how bad they were shaking. The man was clearly worried about his son. The dragon followed them over to the other humans and sat behind Stoick, watching as Gothi wrote in the sand with her staff.
"She says, 'His injuries are severe, but she's certain he'll make a full recovery,'" Gobber translated. "'He has a burn on his neck, five broken ribs, and several cut and stab wounds that required stitches.'"
"When will he wake up?" Astrid asked.
Gobber studied the ancient symbols. "She doesn't know; he lost a lot of blood and has gone through a traumatic experience. It's a waiting game right now."
Astrid stood up and walked into the hut; she sat down next to Hiccup, taking his hand into hers. The three adults watched and made no attempt to stop her. Gobber then looked at Stoick, seeing the questions swimming in his eyes.
"She said Johann did this," Gobber stated. "Took him at night and spent hours doing this to him. By the time they rescued Hiccup, Johann had disappeared. We'll get him for this. He will pay for what he's done."
Stoick nodded and looked at Gothi. "When can I take him home?"
The blacksmith translated her writing. "'We'll see how he is in the morning. If he appears to be on the mend, he can be brought home.'"
Stoick said nothing as he walked back into the hut and sat down on the opposite side of the bed. He buried his head in his hands and let out a long, tired sigh.
Fishlegs stood on the landing platform watching the horizon for Astrid's Terror, Sneaky. He had used the Terror to send Astrid a letter letting her know that Johann had gotten away and they were back on the Edge. He doubted he would get an immediate response, but he was really worried about Hiccup.
As he watched, he listened to Snotlout and the twins training in the arena, well, their idea of training. They all wanted to head to Berk, but they needed to be here in case Johann decided to come after the Edge. The only reason they'd leave is if Astrid told them to. Fishlegs couldn't blame them, though; he also wanted to head to Berk, but no, the Edge needed defending.
The husky Dragon Rider sat down on the edge of the platform and just kept watching the sky. He wasn't going anywhere until he heard back from Astrid.
Hiccup could feel familiar hands touching him, carefully tending to his numerous injuries, but he could not speak or open his eyes. Just the mere thought of trying exhausted him. At some point he heard voices, but they were too far away for him to make out what they were saying. He then felt a hand take hold of his; he knew in his heart it was Astrid. She was the only one that held his hand whenever he was hurt.
He didn't want her here, though. He wanted her to go home and rest. He wasn't going anywhere for a while, much less fully conscious. She had already done so much finding him and getting him home.
At that moment he heard someone else enter the room; the footsteps sounded heavy and tired. His father, probably.
"He feels cold," he heard Astrid say.
"Likely from the blood loss," Stoick replied. "Gothi knows of a few herbs that should help his blood return faster. Traders arrive in the morning; one of them should have what she needs. What about you? How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine," Astrid's voice sounded shaky. "I'm just worried about Hiccup."
"I understand, lass," Stoick consoled. "But you've been going since before the sun was up. You're exhausted. Why don't you go home and rest? Hiccup is going to be fine. If there are any changes, I'll come get you."
Hiccup didn't hear Astrid's response as he slipped back into the realm of unconsciousness. He could only hope that Astrid listened to his father.
Notes:
If you think Hiccup is safe, think again
If you are enjoying the story, please consider dropping some kudos and a review, letting me know what you think
Until next time
Chapter Text
Fishlegs wasn't sure when he fell asleep or how he wound up in his own bed, but he wasn't going to question it. He needed to get back to the platform to see if Sneaky had arrived from Berk yet.
When he got to the platform, he saw Dagur standing there with his dragon, Sleuther.
"What are you doing here?" Fishlegs asked.
Dagur turned and gave the Dragon Rider a small smile. "Hey Fishy. Sleep well? As for why I'm here? Well, I came to ask Hiccup for a favor and found you fast asleep out here. With Seuther's help, we got you into bed and finished your shift of guard duty. Anyways, have you seen Hiccup?"
Fishlegs rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, about that. He's not here right now. He's on Berk with Astrid."
The Berserker chief raised a concerned eyebrow. "Is everything okay?"
"We were camping on another island after spending the day mining iron ore," Fishlegs began as he began telling Dagur about Hiccup being kidnapped and tortured by Johann. "... So Astrid flew him back to Berk on Toothless, and now we're just waiting to hear back. I wasn't on guard duty; I was waiting for Astrid's Terror Mail and I guess fell asleep at some point."
Dagur released an angry scream before taking a deep breath. "Okay, now that I got that out of the way, here's what's going to happen: you and the rest of your friends are going to head to Berk. I'll stay here and guard the outpost."
Fishlegs bit the inside of his cheek. "Are you sure, Dagur? You're just one person, and Johann has a whole fleet of Hunters and countless Flyers."
"And I have an armada," Dagur replied. "They're anchored just on the other side of the Edge's borders."
"Why do you have your armada with you?" Fishlegs wondered.
"Wedding preparations," Dagur shrugged. "The Northern Market is a dangerous place but has the best deals on wedding decorations and weapons. I came to see if Hiccup could come with me so he could help me find the best present to give Mala. But that can wait. Go. I will defend the Edge."
Fishlegs didn't argue; he took off toward Snotlout's hut to wake him up.
Hiccup drifted between the dream world and reality for he didn't know how long. Occasionally he would catch snippets of conversation or feel when his bandages were being changed out. He never felt pain, though. Which he found odd. After everything he went through, he should feel something, but no, all he ever felt was exhaustion and like his body was heavier than it should be.
When he wasn't going through his brief bouts of consciousness, he found himself back on that damned island, tied to that gods-awful tree. The only difference was his captor kept changing. Sometimes it was Krogan. Other times it was Viggo. Once it was his own father. The only thing they had in common was they seemed to take great pleasure in breaking him like he was a toy.
At first he found the dream terrifying, but now he was just bored with it. It was the same thing over and over again. Aside from the rotating captors, it never changed. Same injuries, same demands, Hunter's taking bets. He began to wonder if this was Helheim and the gods were just having fun with their new toy while deciding where he should go.
Just when he was beginning to wonder if the boredom was going to be his official cause of death, the dream shifted. He was on the island he had been taken from. He and his friends were getting ready to go to sleep. Snotlout and the twins were already snoring. Fishlegs was giving Meatlug a bedtime snack of quartz. Astrid was sitting next to the fire, talking to herself about new battle techniques she wanted to try. Hiccup himself was just leaning up against Toothless, watching his friends being themselves. Despite being in the middle of a war, for the moment they were safe, and everything was peaceful.
All that changed the moment purple smoke filled the air. Hiccup quickly recognized what it was and jumped onto Toothless's back. He shouted at his friends to get in the air, but all he could do was cough as the acrid smoke filled his lungs. Astrid and Fishlegs saw what was happening and tried to get in the air, but it was too late. Both were knocked out by the gas, and their dragons quickly followed suit. Hiccup and Toothless tried to fly away but were hit with a netter bola.
When he came to, he saw Toothless trying to fight off several Hunters and Flyers, but it was no use. One of the Hunters got a lucky hit in and stabbed Toothless's tail. That Hunter didn't live long enough to brag about his feat.
Toothless looked over at Hiccup, as he was still trying to process what was happening, before taking off. Hiccup helplessly watched as another Hunter knocked back a dragon root arrow and hit Toothless in the leg.
"Leave him," someone shouted. "The boy will be enough. We'll get the dragon another day."
A Flyer knelt down in front of Hiccup, holding a canister. "Nighty-night, filthy dragon lover." He shook the canister and aimed it at Hiccup's face before opening it. Purple gas spilled out, knocking Hiccup out once more.
Hiccup's eyes flew open as he sat straight up, screaming, "Toothless! Nooo!"
He felt a firm but gentle hand wrap around his arm and ease him back down. "Easy, son. Toothless is okay. Toothless is safe."
The Dragon Rider felt his breathing slow down and his racing heart return to normal when he heard those words. "Okay. Okay." He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before falling back to sleep.
Stoick let go of his son's arm and sat back down. He rubbed his temples, sighing. It had been over a week since Astrid had brought Hiccup, battered and broken, home. Hiccup's recovery was going slowly, but at least he was healing. Up until now, they had assumed he was having nightmares based on how agitated he was as he slept, and this just confirmed it.
The chief didn't know what the nightmares were about, and he didn't dare speculate, but they had to be something awful if his son had that kind of reaction. He'd have to tell Astrid once she got back from the markets. This wasn't something he could keep from her.
Fishlegs stood in the entryway to the forge and watched as Gobber made Hiccup a new leg for when he was finally able to wear one again. The two had developed an unspoken bond over the past week while they waited for Hiccup to wake up. Neither said much outside of "Hello" and "Goodbye." Nothing could be said. It was just comforting to be near someone who was just as worried as you.
The Gronkle lover had yet to visit Hiccup. He wasn't ready yet. He didn't know if he'd ever be ready. It was bad enough to see him when they found him. All the blood that covered everything Hiccup touched. The tree, the sand, their clothes. Fishlegs had to toss his tunic after trying for three days to get the bloodstains out. Astrid had to do the same with hers.
Gobber looked over at him as he dropped the metal foot into a bucket of water and spoke after what felt like forever. "You should go see him."
Fishlegs shook his head. "I can't. I'll just wait for him to wake up."
"That might not be for a long while, laddie," Gobber pointed out. "He needs you now more than ever. Just because he's unconscious doesn't mean he doesn't know you're there. Your presence will offer him comfort. So go see him. Let him know he's safe and that everything is going to be okay."
Fishlegs hesitated for a moment, wanting to argue, but knew better. Gobber was always right, especially when it came to Hiccup. He turned and walked from the forge toward the Haddock home.
Notes:
I hope everyone is enjoying the story. Please consider dropping a review, letting me know what you think of the story. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
Until next time
Chapter 5: Chapter 5
Chapter Text
The first thing Hiccup was aware of once he was fully conscious was pain. Every inch of his body hurt, and for a brief moment he couldn't remember why. However, the second he dared open his eyes, the memories crashed into him. He had been captured by Johann's men and tortured for information about the lenses. He had been cut, burned, beaten, and stabbed. The next thing he became aware of was that he was home. His bed had been brought down to the first floor and placed near the hearth.
He tried sitting up but felt someone's hand on his chest, keeping him from moving. "Easy, Hiccup. You might rip your stitches. Best to stay lying down."
It took Hiccup a few seconds to place the voice. "Fishlegs?" He turned his head and saw that he was right. His best friend was standing over him, keeping him from getting up.
Fishlegs removed his hand and sat down in a nearby chair. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've been used as a human punching bag," Hiccup groaned. He looked around the best he could from where he lay. "Where's Astrid? Toothless? Dad?"
"Your dad and Astrid are at a council meeting," Fishlegs answered. "Toothless is upstairs, asleep. I'm sure he'll be down once he realizes you're awake though."
"How long have I been out?" Hiccup wondered.
"Almost two weeks," Fishlegs answered. "You kind of woke up a couple of days ago, but you went right back to sleep after a very short conversation with your dad."
Hiccup bit the inside of his cheek. "I don't remember."
"That's okay," Fishlegs replied. "You were quite out of it still. What's the last thing you do remember?"
Hiccup's eyebrows furrowed as he recalled his last clear memory. "Johann shoved a dagger into my stump after you guys showed up. Speaking of which, how bad am I?"
"All together you have about 30 stitches, five broken ribs, bruises everywhere, and a really bad burn on your neck," Fishlegs answered. "Gothi told us you probably won't be able to walk for a month or so because of all the damage done to your stump. Probably another two not flying because of your broken ribs. The stitches can probably be removed in a few days, but you're going to have to go through some intense exercises to build your strength back up."
"And what about Johann?" Hiccup asked, feeling his eyes grow heavy once more. "Did you guys catch him?"
Fishlegs shook his head. "No, he got away. We searched the island well past nightfall, but he was gone. Probably had a ship waiting for him in case he needed to escape. Don't worry though; we'll get him."
Hiccup just nodded in agreement as he closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.
When he woke up again, the pain had turned into a dull throb, and instead of Fishlegs being by his side, Astrid and Toothless were there. Astrid sat on the bed next to his hip while Toothless stood at the foot of the bed.
"Hey, babe," Astrid greeted as she brushed his bangs away from his eyes. "How you feeling?"
Hiccup offered her a small smile. "Better since you're here." He grimaced slightly. "But in all seriousness, quite sore. Everything aches."
"Well, Gothi should be here soon for her daily check-in. She'll have something to help ease the pain," Astrid reassured.
Toothless padded over to the other side of the bed and gave Hiccup a few licks, purring as he did. Hiccup couldn't help but laugh. As much as he didn't always appreciate the dragon's slobber, knowing his dragon was here and safe made it more than tolerable.
"Thanks, bud," Hiccup said as the dragon ceased his saliva-fueled attack. "I feel so much better now."
The trio fell into a comfortable silence as they waited for Gothi.
Johann stood on a seastack, spyglass in hand. He watched as Berk went quiet for the night. Soon everyone would be asleep, and he could enact his plan.
He looked at one of the two Flyers standing behind him. "Head to the other side of the island and take out the dragon sentries. Then make sure we have a clear path to escape. I want to be in and out as quickly as possible. Do not fail me."
The Flyer saluted, climbed onto his Singetail, and flew off. The other Flyer shuffled from foot to foot, debating whether or not to ask a question that was bugging him.
Johann noticed this and rolled his eyes. "Out with it, already."
"Well, sir. Your plan is a very good plan, but why are we capturing the Dragon Rider again?" The Flyer asked.
The former tradesmen let out an annoyed sigh. "Because he can tell us where the lenses are. We need him to find the King of Dragons. Besides, he's been a thorn in my side since he was born. Killing him once we have the King of Dragons will make all those years undercover worth it."
As Gothi was carefully removing Hiccup's stitches, Stoick and Astrid stood to the side talking in hushed tones.
"Has he said anything about what happened?" the chief asked.
"Fishlegs mentioned he remembered Johann stabbing his stump," Astrid answered. "So I assume he remembers everything that happened to him; he just hasn't talked about it. Given time, he will. He just has to come to terms with it first."
"And is everything in place?" Stoick wondered, as he glanced at the front door of his home.
Astrid nodded. "The plan is already in motion. Don't worry. He won't know what hit him until it's too late."
"Good," Stoick sighed. He hadn't felt this anxious since Hiccup lost his leg. Every possibility of how it could go wrong was running through his mind, but he had to trust the plan. It was a good plan. "Does Hiccup know?"
The blonde warrior shook her head. "No. He doesn't need to know. If we tell him, we'd just be putting him at risk."
"Aye," Stoick agreed. "Best to tell him afterwards."
Gothi pointed at Astrid and beckoned her over. Astrid did as requested. The Healer handed her a roll of bandages, and together they rewrapped Hiccup's wounds and helped him lie back down.
Gothi then picked up her staff and began writing on the floor. Astrid watched, doing her best to translate. "She says, 'Now that all of the stitches have been removed, everything should heal normally. But you'll be bedbound for a bit because of your broken ribs and the damage Johann did to your stump. Wearing a prosthetic would hinder recovery and invite infection.'"
Hiccup looked upset but didn't argue. "What about flying? When can I fly again? We can't be away from the Edge for too long."
Astrid ran her fingers through her hair. "We can watch the Edge in shifts. Dagur is there, and the A-Team flies out tomorrow to relieve him. You aren't doing any kind of flying for a while. A few months at best if you listen to Gothi and do what you're supposed to."
The Pride of Berk tried to hide his pout, but it was evident to everyone in the room that he didn't like the thought of being out of commission for months. He needed to get out there and catch Johann. However, despite his apparent feelings, he knew Astrid and Gothi were right. He was in no condition to fight, much less get out of bed.
"Why don't you try and get some rest, son?" Stoick suggested. "We'll talk about it more in the morning."
Hiccup didn't argue. He still felt drained, and sleep seemed to be the only cure for it. Astrid pulled the blanket over him, gave his forehead a quick kiss, and he was fast asleep.
Once Stoick was sure his son was asleep. "Everyone get into your positions. This is going to be a long night."
Chapter Text
Astrid sat in the chair by Hiccup's bed while Gothi thoroughly examined him. Toothless was fast asleep at the foot of the bed, snoring with the occasional plume of smoke leaving his nostrils. Stoick laid in his own bed, staring up at the ceiling. A million thoughts were running through his mind, none of them pleasant.
Outside the Haddock home sat Snotlout and Spitelout. Their forms were covered by the darkness. If someone were to walk by, they wouldn't be noticed. Some yards away were Fishlegs, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut, crouched behind trees and bushes. Each of them were listening for anything out of the ordinary.
"How much longer are we going to have to be out here?" Tuffnut complained.
"Yeah, I'm tired," Ruffnut whined. "I just want to get some shuteye."
"No sleeping. We wait as long as necessary," Fishlegs hissed. "Now be quiet."
Just then the snapping of a twig could be heard not too far off. Fishlegs turned his attention to the direction of the sound and tightened his grip on his sword.
"Shouldn't be too far now, sir," a voice said as they closed in on the Haddock home. Fishlegs resisted the urge to run the trespasser through with his sword. No, they needed to think they were going to get away with taking Hiccup.
If any of them attacked now, the plan would be ruined and they'd miss their chance at capturing Johann.
"No, it is not," the unmistakable voice of Johann agreed. "Soon Hiccup Haddock will be ours once more."
Fishlegs and the twins watched as Johann and one of his Flyers walked past them toward the house. Fishlegs knew they wouldn't go through the back door. It would be too risky since that door led straight to Stoick's room. No, they would have to go through the front where Snotlout and his dad were lying in wait.
Something in the back of his mind nagged at him that this was too easy. Johann had to be planning something as well. However, he didn't have time to figure it out. That could wait. For now he had to make sure Hiccup stayed safe.
He motioned to the twins to move in next to him, slowly and quietly. They needed to maintain the element of surprise. Together, the trio entered through the back door and gave Stoick a knowing look.
Snotlout and Spitelout stood as still as they could, not daring to flex a muscle as Johann and his Flyer approached the front door. Johann needed to open the door before they could pounce.
Johann's fingers scraped the door handle before pulling his arm back. He stepped away and looked at the Flyer. "You open it."
This was not part of the plan. All information indicated Johann would open it himself as a point of pride and victory. Why? Why was he making his Flyer do it? Oh well. They could still capture both of them.
The Flyer did as he was told, and as soon as the door started to creak open, The Jorgensons pounced. Spitelout grabbed the Flyer, tossing him away from the home, while Snotlout went after Johann himself. Johann laughed as he managed to dodge Snotlout's swings and attempts to knock him down.
Astrid and Stoick came bursting through the front door, weapons in hand, trying to help Snotlout. As they closed in several Singetails appeared above them, firing in all directions. Between the flames and the smoke, no one could see where Johann went.
Astrid whistled for Stormfly, who was by her side in a matter of seconds. Together they took to the air and scanned the area. She spotted Johann running through the town square, towards the forge.
"Why is he going there?" She wondered as Stoick joined her in the air.
"No time to figure it out, lass. Let's get him," the chief ordered, heading for the forge.
Stoick took the front of the forge while Astrid took the back. Johann wasn't going to escape. Inside they could hear some rustling followed by a howling scream. Stoick dismounted Skullcrusher and gestured for him to stay on alert. He unseathed his sword from the saddle and cautiously approached the forge.
He threw the door open, and in the center of the floor stood Gobber, who was looking at the unconscious figure of Johann.
"What happened in here, Gobber?" Stoick asked.
"Caught the weasel trying to steal some of my knockout canisters," Gobber replied, kicking Johann away from him with a look of disgust.
"Knockout canisters?" Stoick asked, lowering his sword.
"Aye, started making them after Hiccup told us about the dragon-fighting ring," Gobber explained. "Figured they'd make a good weapon in a fight. However, after Astrid came back with Hiccup, I noticed several of 'em missing from my storeroom. Thought I was losing my mind at first. Then I noticed some random person rummaging around one night. Tried catching him, but it wasn't enough. And when Johann came, I knew what he was after, and I wasn't about to let him have it."
"Well, I guess we know why he was running in here," Stoick stated. "Probably was going to use them to knock us out so he could take Hiccup again."
Johann groaned as he started to come to. "Moronic blacksmith."
"Moronic, eh?" Gobber asked. "Well be sure to mention that at your trial. That is if you live long enough."
Stoick grabbed Johann by the shoulders, stood him up, and pinned him against the wall. "You spent years lying to me, betraying me and my tribe. Then you take my son, and beat him within an inch of his life. Did you really think you were going to get away with it?"
Johann smirked. "Maybe not today, but soon. I will have your pitiful excuse of a son under my foot once more. You cannot keep him safe forever."
The chief roared in anger and began slamming Johann against the wall. By the fifth slam, Gobber had to step in and stop his best friend before he killed the man.
"You can't kill him, Stoick," Gobber said, placing his hand on his best friend's shoulder. "A trial needs to be held first."
Stoick sighed. "You're right. Take him to one of our cells and place several guards in front of it. I don't want him escaping. Astrid is out back; have her go with you. Stormfly can roast him if he tries anything."
"Aye, aye, Stoick," Gobber agreed as he took hold of Johann.
The chief left the forge, climbed back onto Skullcrusher, and flew back to his home to check on Hiccup.
Hiccup woke up to the sounds of screams and the roars of Singetails. Without thinking, he sat up and managed to get out of bed. He hopped his way toward Toothless, who was at the foot of the bed, ready to attack whoever came through the door.
He grabbed hold of Toothless in order to remain standing as he tried to figure out what was happening. Outside he could hear fighting. Standing to the side of the front door stood Fishlegs, sword at the ready, not paying him any attention. Behind him, by his father's bedroom, were the twins, both ready to fight any that dared try entering the home.
"What is going on?" Hiccup managed to ask after listening to the chaos for half a minute.
Fishlegs looked over at him and went pale. "You need to get back in bed."
"What is going on?" Hiccup repeated.
His best friend stepped away from the door, lowered his sword, and grabbed hold of his waist. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with. You're in no condition to handle it. It's being taken care of." He eased Hiccup back onto the bed. "Go back to sleep. Someone will tell you what happened when you wake up."
Hiccup wanted to argue, but Fishlegs rushed back to the door to be on the lookout for whoever was out there. He opened his mouth to protest, but Gothi shut him up by putting a vial to his lips and making him drink the contents.
In no time at all, Hiccup felt the pull of sleep once more, and he was out before his head hit the pillow.
Gobber pushed Johann along the path to the cells, not caring one bit for the man's safety. Astrid, atop Stormfly, walked next to him, gripping her saddle until her knuckles turned white.
"You haven't won," Johann taunted. "You've only delayed the inevitable. That boy will soon be mine and so will the King of Dragons."
"Shut your trap," Gobber ordered, regretting not gagging the former trader. "You've lost. Deal with it."
Johann looked up at the sky and smirked. "We'll see about that."
As the last word left his mouth, a Singletail shot a blast of fire toward Gobber, causing him to jump back and away from Johann.
Johann stepped a few feet to the side and watched as two more Singetails surrounded the Rider and the blacksmith. They had no means of escape while he made his getaway. A fourth Singetail flew close enough for him to grab it by the tail. And just like that, Johann was gone.
Once he was a safe distance away, the other dragons and their Flyers took off. Berk was quiet once more.
Stoick was watching the two Flyers they had caught being dragged away to their prison when Astrid and Gobber landed in front of him.
The blacksmith wasted no time explaining what happened. "He's gone, Stoick. Flyers showed up, cornered us, and took him. We weren't even halfway to the cells. Johann is still out there. He had an escape plan all along in case his first plan didn't work."
"He's going to come after Hiccup again," Astrid chimed in. "He's going to do whatever it takes. For all we know, he already knew about our plan and used it against us to scout out our defenses."
Stoick looked at his home. The home where his son was recovering. The home he had built for his family. The home that was meant to be safe. He looked back at Gobber and Astrid. "We will protect my son. When he wakes up we will tell him. He needs to know. Afterwards we can take steps to ensure Johann doesn't get another shot at him."
The sun was setting when Hiccup woke up again. With much effort he sat up, feeling the aches of his short time trying to stand the night before. He looked around and saw that for the first time since he was brought home, he was alone. Even Toothless was gone. Outside he could hear people talking but couldn't make out what they were saying. Their tones indicated urgency and anxiousness.
What happened last night? Hiccup thought.
As he was debating calling out to let whoever was outside know he was awake, the door opened, and In walked, his father, Gobber, Spitelout, Astrid, and the rest of the gang. Toothless followed behind them but stayed in the back due to the crowd.
"Ah, good to see you're awake, son," Stoick greeted as he sat down in the chair by his son's bed.
"What's going on?" Hiccup asked. "What happened last night?"
The crowd seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before Astrid answered. "Johann tried taking you last night. Thankfully we caught wind of the plan from a passing trader. We managed to stop him, but he got away before we could throw him in prison. We got two of his Flyers though. They aren't saying much at the moment."
"But Johann made it clear he wasn't going to stop trying," Gobber finished. "He's stated that he'll keep trying."
Hiccup gulped and nodded, trying to keep his expression neutral. "What are we going to do about it? What's the plan?"
"We get you off Berk without anyone outside of us knowing," Fishlegs replied. "As soon as possible."
"How? I can't fly," Hiccup stated as if it was obvious.
"That's the tricky part," Stoick said. "In order to keep you safe, you have to die."
Notes:
Oooh goody, a nasty cliffhanger
If you are enjoying the story, please consider dropping a review, letting me know what you think of the story so far
Until next time
Chapter Text
"I have to what?!" Hiccup exclaimed.
"He's taking it better than I thought," Tuffnut quipped before earning an elbow to the sternum by Gobber.
"It's not the most ideal plan, but it's the one that guarantees your best chance at survival," Stoick calmly explained. "As far as anyone is concerned, we are all in here to say goodbye, because you picked up an infection and you've taken a turn for the worse. The infection has spread to your brain, and you have hours left. Gothi tried, but it's too late. She's right outside, waiting to pronounce your time of death."
"I don't really get a say in this, do I?" Hiccup wondered.
"You do," Astrid said, taking hold of his hand. "But if we don't do this, Johann will keep coming after you, never giving you a moment's rest."
Hiccup bit the inside of his cheek. He always wondered about attending his own funeral to see who would attend. What kind of speeches would be given? Who would nock the first arrow? Guess he was about to find out.
"So how do we go about this?" Hiccup asked.
Hiccup lay on his funerary longship, Inferno in his hands. He was wearing his flight gear. His prosthetic leg had been reattached, making his escape easier. The funeral was being held at night instead of midday, like most Berkian funerals were. His father insisted it was fitting to celebrate his son's life at night since he tamed a Night Fury, and together the two ruled the night sky. People seemed to buy that explanation.
He wasn't sure how far the ship he was on had drifted out to sea before he heard the first arrow hit. It didn't hit close enough for him to feel the heat or hear the spread of the fire. Soon more arrows followed, hitting various parts of the ship.
It wasn't long before he felt the heat of the flames. He didn't move, though; he needed to wait until the entire ship was engulfed. It was only then that he could jump into the sea. Once he was in the water, he would swim as far and fast as he could underwater.
He wasn't sure how far he'd get with his injuries, but he had to try. If he could get to the Sentry Statues, he was safe. Waiting there for him would be Astrid and a dragon. Not Toothless, though. Toothless had to stay behind. Once on the dragon, he'd fly to Berserker Island, where Dagur would offer shelter.
Hiccup could feel the flames closing in around him and decided it was time to jump. He stumbled over the edge of the ship and into the freezing sea. The salt water stung his wounds, but he quickly blocked the pain, took as deep a breath as he could, and went under. He swam in the direction of the Sentry Statues.
He was almost there when he had to come up for air. He knew he should wait, but he couldn't. He broke through the surface and took in a big gulp of air. He looked back at the burning ship, then at the statues. He was halfway there. Just had to hang in there. Before he could dive again, he felt a tail wrap around him as he was pulled from the water. He looked up, fearing it to be a Singetail, but was filled with relief when he saw it was Heather and Windshear giving him a lift.
"What are you doing out here?" Heather asked.
"Faking my death," Hiccup answered. "Can you get me to the Sentry Statues? Astrid is waiting for me."
"On it," Heather said, steering Windshear in the direction of the statues.
The three set down in the mouth of the left statue, where Astrid, Stormfly, and another Nadder were waiting.
"What the—?" Astrid began to ask, but her words fell short.
"I should be asking the same thing," Heather stated as she dismounted her Razorwhip. "What is going on? What have I missed?"
"Where do you want to begin?" Hiccup asked as he removed his prosthetic.
"Let's start with why you're faking your death," Heather demanded.
"Johann captured and tortured me for information on the Dragon Eye," Hiccup answered as if he was talking about what he had for dinner. "The gang rescued me. And now Johann is trying to capture me again. So we're trying to make him think I'm dead."
"Why are you here?" Astrid asked, looking at Heather. "I thought you were on Vanaheim."
"I was," Heather replied. "And I'm going back. I was going through some of Dad's things and found something that was for Stoick. I figured I could give it to him while I resupplied before heading back."
"What did you find?" Hiccup asked as he removed his flight gear.
Seeing him struggle, Astrid stepped over to help him. "Easy does it, Hiccup. We don't want to risk any more injury than we already have."
Heather pulled a notebook out and showed her two friends the cover. On it was Stoick's chief symbol. "I haven't read it. It's not my place to, but I think it's stories about their friendship. I can't be sure, though."
Astrid peeled Hiccup's wet tunic off, revealing the wounds and bruises to Heather. Heather gasped and dropped the notebook. "How are you alive?" she whispered.
"I'm not, remember?" Hiccup joked, flashing a knowing smirk.
Heather gave a dry laugh. "You know what I mean."
"I honestly don't know," Hiccup said. "By all accounts, I should be, but I'm not."
Astrid pulled out a roll of bandages and another tunic out of her satchel. "He was unconscious for nearly two weeks. The first few nights were rough. Between bandage changes every few hours, forcing tonics down him, and a fever, none of us got much sleep. But he pulled through, and now we're here. Trying to save him once more. He needs to get as far away from Berk before sunrise. If Johann's spy realizes he's alive, the plan is screwed."
"Who's the spy?" Heather wondered.
"Agnar," Hiccup answered.
"Who?" Heather asked, not knowing who that was.
"He's Berk's go-to butcher," Astrid explained as she tied off the bandages. "Everyone talks to him. If you want to know what's going on, you go to him. We learned of his betrayal right after Johann left. Snotlout caught him chatting with the Flyers we have locked up. And, no, he wasn't delivering them food. After we told everyone Hiccup died, he snuck away back towards the prison."
"Why haven't you locked him up yet?" Heather asked.
"Because he could lead us to Johann, and we can put a stop to this," Hiccup said. "But until then I'm heading to Berserker Island. There, Dagur will make sure I'm safe and cared for. Once I'm fully recovered, I'll head back to the Edge. If Johann is caught before then, I'll come back to Berk. Dad and Astrid will tell the tribe I'm still alive, and Agnar will be taken care of."
"What if this goes on for months, years?" Heather pondered, worry filling her voice.
"I doubt it'll take that long. Agnar isn't the brightest," Astrid said as she helped Hiccup put on the oversized tunic. "Good with a knife, sure, but if you ask him to tell you the difference between a dragon egg and a chicken egg, he'll ask you why chicken eggs explode."
Hiccup turned and looked at the night sky. "I need to get going. We've wasted too much time."
Astrid helped him stand up and guided him toward the Nadder.
"Why don't I take him?" Heather offered. "Windshear is fast, and I can ensure he doesn't fall off."
The couple looked at each other, having a silent conversation, before Astrid led Hiccup over to Windshear. After some maneuvering and adjustments, Hiccup and Heather were on the Razorwhip. Astrid gave him one last kiss before they took off.
Once they were gone, she picked up the notebook and climbed onto Stormfly. "Come on, girl, let's go give this to Stoick."
Notes:
Okay, I did not expect the story to go this way. All I wanted to do was tie Hiccup to a tree and torture him a bit before he's rescued and cared for. It was supposed to end after, like, four chapters, and now we're on chapter 7. This is what happens when you let the characters guide you instead of the other way around.
I have no clue where this story is going beyond the next chapter, so stay tuned as I try to figure out what the characters want from me.
As always, please consider dropping a review, letting me know what you think. I love feedback
Until next time
Chapter Text
Heather landed on the platform to the Berserker stables just as the sun was beginning to peek through the horizon. There to greet her were her brother and two healers.
"He passed out halfway through the flight," Heather told the healers as they removed Hiccup from Windshear. "His skin is really warm. I think he has a fever."
"Take him to the loft above the stables," Dagur ordered, watching as the healers set his brother on a stretcher. He then looked over at Heather. "It's going to be okay. Our healers are on the same level as Gothi. They know how to help him."
Heather dismounted the Razorwhip, who promptly walked into the stable right behind the healers. She looked at her brother. "I know. I'm just worried about him. If I hadn't pulled him from the water when I did, he might not have made the flight."
"Water?" Dagur asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why was he in the water? The Terror Mail didn't say anything about him being in the water."
Heather went into detail about how Hiccup had to fake his death in order to get off Berk. Dagur listened, feeling worry and concern creep in faster with every word. "... I offered to fly him here instead of having him fly on a random Nadder. I was worried he'd fall off given his injuries."
Dagur took a deep breath, calming his nerves. "Well, I'm glad you did. And he's here now, so he's safe. We'll have to double patrols for now, just in case Johann realizes he's alive." He looked over at the stables, then back at his sister. "Go get some rest before you head back out."
Heather didn't argue. She was exhausted from flying through the night and trying to keep Hiccup on her dragon.
Stoick sat on the edge of his son's now empty bed. He knew he was safely off Berk, but he had to act like he was grieving. The council kept asking to hold a meeting so they could begin the search for a new heir, but Stoick kept putting them off. Told them it was too soon and to give him the space and time he was permitted to have.
In a way he was grieving. His son might be alive, but there was no telling when he'd be able to come home. They could catch Johann tomorrow or three years from now. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't hop on Skullcrusher and fly to Berserker Island to see Hiccup. If he did, those watching would become suspicious. The same went for Astrid and anyone else in on the plan. If they wanted to see him again, they'd have to catch Johann first.
He knew Dagur would try and keep them updated as best he could, but those updates wouldn't be frequent or in-depth. If they went into detail and those letters were intercepted by Johann's men, they'd learn that Hiccup was alive.
He looked over at Toothless, who was sleeping by the door. The dragon seemed to be waiting for his human to come home. He seemed to know what was happening but was acting like Hiccup had just gone to the market to get him more fish. The chief wondered if dragons grieved the same as humans or if they had their own way of processing loss.
Astrid sat outside the Great Hall, fiddling with the necklace Hiccup had given her as a betrothal present. One person had the nerve to suggest she give it back to Stoick now that Hiccup was gone. That she no longer had any ties to the Haddock clan. She promptly punched the person in the face and yelled at them to get away from her.
Everyone around her was treating the day like it was a normal day, instead of the day after holding a funeral for the chief's son and heir. Even though she knew he was alive, she was mad that no one seemed upset by losing Hiccup. Many still treated him like they did before he killed the Red Death. They only gave him any respect before since he was Stoick's son.
How could people be so callous and uncaring? Hiccup had saved the tribe so many times in the past four years, and to act like losing him was the best thing to ever happen made her blood boil. What made it worse is that she could never tell Hiccup what she discovered. This was a secret that would die with her.
However, she couldn't wait for Hiccup to return so she could see those people's expressions when they realized they messed up by being happy with his death. She was seriously considering blackmailing them for various favors by threatening to tell Hiccup how they really feel about him if they didn't do what she wanted. Of course she'd never tell, but making them think she might would provide her with the perfect revenge.
Dagur sat in the chair next to Hiccup's bed, watching as the younger man tossed and turned in his sleep. Occasionally he would call out, asking for his mom or his dad. The Berserker chief felt his heart ache every time. He knew what it was like to want your parents when it was impossible for them to be there.
He tried offering comfort where he could, recalling how his mother would hum whenever he was sick. If he was honest with himself, he couldn't carry a tune very well, but the humming seemed to be helping ease whatever nightmares plagued his brother.
It had been two days since Hiccup had been brought to Berserker Island, and Dagur had barely left his side. He had delegated most of the chiefly tasks over to Vorg, who seemed to be more than happy to take on the extra work.
"Dagur?" a voice called out, pulling said chief from his slumber.
Dagur looked around and saw that it was Hiccup calling his name. "Brother! You're awake! How are you feeling?
Hiccup was sitting up, rolling his shoulders as best he could despite the wounds. "Like I've risen from the dead. Stiff and sore. How long was I asleep?"
Dagur got up from the chair and stretched. "A couple of days. You had a pretty nasty fever. Heather figures it was because you were in the water. Which wasn't a good idea."
"Didn't really have much choice," Hiccup explained. "Johann's hunting me, and faking my death gets him off my back, at least for now."
The Berserker chief sat back down. "Why exactly is he after you?"
"He wants the Dragon Eye lenses," Hiccup replied. "I'm not giving them to him. If I do, that's the end of dragonkind."
"And what happens now that he thinks you're dead?" Dagur wondered.
Hiccup shrugged as best he could. "I heal, then I do what I can to stop him while remaining in the shadows."
"In the shadows?" The older man questioned. "You're not exactly stealthy. Your rather unique prosthetic will give you away rather quickly."
"Never said I'd be out in the open," Hiccup stated. "I can organize missions through coded Terror Mails and secret meetings."
"How soon did you want to get started?" Dagur asked, feeling a sense of excitement.
"How soon can you get me some paper and ink?" Hiccup asked in return.
Notes:
Sorry it took a few days to get this chapter up. I've just been very tired these past few days, and the mere thought of writing feels exhausting. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the latest chapter. I should have the next one up soon
Until next time
Chapter Text
Hiccup was sitting in the corner of one of the dragon pens, looking over several papers, when Dagur walked into the stables.
"You should be in bed," Dagur stated, rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
Hiccup glanced up at his friend, then back to the papers. "Been in bed for over two weeks. And this is comfier."
The Berserker chief pointed to his brother's still bandaged stump. "How did you even get down?"
The Dragon Rider pointed to Sleuther, who was napping in the opposite corner, not looking up. "Bribed your dragon. He'll be wanting extra cod for dinner."
"And how long have you been out of bed?" Dagur wondered, trying to get more informative answers out of the younger man.
Hiccup shrugged. "Don't know. Sometime after Ivar left."
"Did Ivar say or do anything that made you think it was okay for you to be exerting yourself like this?" Dagur wondered, getting frustrated.
"Said my wounds were scarring over nicely and there was no sign of infection," Hiccup responded. "Replaced the bandages and gave me a list of exercises to start trying to rebuild lost muscle." He glanced back up at the Berserker. "Figured it was okay to get out of bed."
"Without your leg?" Dagur asked.
"I'm quite resourceful," Hiccup noted. "Have you heard anything from Berk?"
Dagur sighed as he sat down next to Hiccup. "Got a Terror Mail this morning. The Flyers were tried and sentenced to Outcast Island. Agnar left shortly after Alvin came to pick up the prisoners. Astrid is following him. They think he's heading to join Johann. Stoick and Fishlegs went through his house and found several letters further proving his connection to the Dragon Hunters.
Hiccup set the pencil he had been holding down. "It's a shame; I liked Agnar. He was one of the few adults that didn't treat me like I was useless when I was a kid. Always had a new meat-based joke. None of them were funny, but you still laughed."
"I get it," Dagur nodded. "Betrayal is a hard thing to deal with. You spend your entire life looking at that person thinking they are great, kind, generous, or whatever. Only for them to turn around and show how cruel they actually are. It hurts and taints the good memories. Then when you look back on those memories, you realize the signs were always there, but they had you fooled into thinking it was a mistake. Johann played the long game, and Agnar went along for the ride. It probably didn't take much for Johann to get him on his side."
"We'll probably never know the full extent of it," Hiccup stated.
"Probably not," Dagur agreed, as he studied his brother. "You look tired. Why don't I help you get back into bed?"
Hiccup shook his head. "No. I need to finish ciphering these letters so I can send them out to the rest of the Riders." He glanced up in the direction of the loft. "Besides, being up there feels... off."
"Off?" Dagur asked, voice laced with concern.
"I can't really describe it," Hiccup shrugged. "My gut is telling me that if I go back up, things will go wrong."
"What if we bring the bed down here?" Dagur suggested.
"Maybe," Hiccup pondered, before shaking his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just being paranoid."
The Berserker shrugged. "Paranoia can't be good for you. If you don't think it's safe to keep sleeping in the stables. I'm sure we can find another place for you."
"This is the only safe place I can be, though," Hiccup countered. "If the Hunters are watching the island, they'll see me walking around and realize I'm alive. No, it's better if I stay in here."
"Well, we can still move the bed down here. Maybe ease some of that paranoia," Dagur suggested. "Why don't you finish up those letters while Sleuther and I get the bed?"
"Yeah, okay," Hiccup said, already reimmersed in his scattered papers.
By the time Dagur and his dragon got the bed and placed it in a corner far from the stable entrance, Hiccup had fallen asleep where he was sitting. Rather than move him and risk waking him up, Dagur just grabbed a blanket and draped it over his brother's still-healing body, then gently placed a pillow under his head.
He looked over at his dragon, who was curling up to sleep right next to Hiccup. "You don't listen to him anymore, got it? He's stubborn and needs to rest."
Sleuther snorted in defiance before closing his eyes and falling asleep.
"You need to pick an heir," A council member stated, slamming his fist down on the table, causing the other members to jump.
Stoick glared at the man. "Hiccup, my son, hasn't even been gone a month, Lief, and you are demanding I stop grieving to train a new heir. If you hinder me any further, you will join those Flyers on Outcast Island." He looked at the rest of the council. "If I hear one more word about picking an heir until I am ready, I will be picking a new council, is that understood?"
"Yes, Chief," the council said in unison. None of them dared bring up the fact that he said 'gone' instead of 'dead'. It seemed odd to say, but it was not worth incurring his wrath even further.
"Good," Stoick growled. "Now on to other business. We need to discuss trade with Berserker Island. Chief Dagur sent us a list of things that they were able to provide and another of what they needed."
Fishlegs stared at the horizon, watching the sunset. Nearby, Toothless and Meatlug were taking a nap. He wondered if Toothless understood what was happening or if he truly thought Hiccup was gone. He and the chief had a brief discussion about it and concluded that Night Furies were intelligent enough to grasp death and grieve it. But Toothless didn't act as if he was grieving. He acted as if Hiccup was taking a walk and would be back any minute. So maybe the dragon did know, or Night Fury grief just looked different.
"Best not to dwell on it, laddie," a voice said, pulling Fishlegs from his thoughts.
"Dwell on what?" Fishlegs asked, turning to see Gobber.
"On what that dragon is thinking and feeling," Gobber explained. "He knows what he knows, and he's keeping it to himself; best to just let him. When he's ready to let us know what he's thinking, he'll tell us. Trust me on that."
"I guess you're right," Fishlegs shrugged. "Any word on Dagur's guest?"
"Last I heard from my source, he's recovering well and has a plan," Gobber answered. "Expect a letter soon with more details."
The husky Dragon Rider let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding as the knots in his stomach came undone. "That's good. Any clue on what the plan is?"
"Not one," Gobber admitted. "But we'll know soon. In the meantime, I suggest some training exercises with the rest of the Riders and the A-Team."
Johann sat at his desk, staring at the man before him. In one hand he held a dagger, turning it around in his fingers. "You've known about this for weeks, and you are just now telling me?" His tone made it clear that the man should choose his next words very carefully.
"I-I tried getting word to you," the man stumbled. "I told your Flyers, I did. I thought Stoick would exile them and you'd come find them. But, no, he sent them to Outcast Island. That's when I realized you'd never find out if they went away. So I stole a boat and came here."
"Were you followed?" Johann asked.
The man shook his head. "No. They got no reason to. I was going to tell Gobber I was leaving to do some fishing but decided against it. I just left after Alvin left with the Flyers. No one saw me leave, I swear."
Johann stood up and began pacing his quarters. "Do you realize how many resources I have lost because you didn't tell me Hiccup Haddock was dead?"
The man shrugged. "I'm sorry, Johann. I really am. But you know now, and with him gone, you can go after the King of Dragons, and he won't stop you."
"Agnar," Johann sighed. "You, simpleton, I needed him alive. He could have led me to the rest of the lenses. I needed that big brain of his."
"What about the other Dragon Riders? Maybe they know." Agnar suggested.
"No, they don't. His knowledge far surpassed theirs," Johan stated, gripping his dagger.
"Then what do we do now?" Agnar asked as he picked at his tunic.
"Well, Agnar, since Hiccup is no more, your services are no longer required." Johann said as he stepped closer to his spy. He raised the dagger above his head and brought it down, plunging it into Agnar's chest. "You are relieved of your position effective immediately."
Notes:
Well, we don't have to worry about the traitor anymore. What's Johann going to do now that he believes Hiccup is dead
As always, I hope you are enjoying the latest chapter. Please consider leaving some feedback letting me know what you think of the story.
Until next time
Chapter 10: Chapter 10
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Hiccup clicked his new leg into place and stood, testing the balance to make sure it was on right. He looked over at the healer that had handed it to him. "Thanks, Ivar."
Ivar shrugged. "Just doing my job, sir. I'm pleased you are fully recovered."
Hiccup picked up the tunic that was on the bed and put it on. "Me too."
"Me three," Dagur interrupted. "But let's dwell on it later. What's our next move?"
"With Agnar dead, we have no way of tracking Johann," Hiccup stated, reaching for his satchel. "We can try, but Johann is smart and will catch on eventually. So we have to be smarter. I want to take a dragon and head to the Northern Markets. I could hang around the tavern for a bit and listen to any of the Hunters that come in."
The Berserker Chief shook his head. "Not happening. You could be recognized. Your leg is a dead giveaway."
"That's the point," Hiccup stated as if what he was doing was obvious.
"You're crazy," Dagur declared. "And I'm saying you're crazy, then you really are crazy. Are you that eager to die?"
"I'm not going to die," Hiccup said. "Nor am I crazy. I want to drive Johann crazy. Let the rumor spread with no definitive proof. I wait to be noticed, leave as quickly as possible, and keep popping up on random islands the Hunters frequent. Johann will either think the rumors are untrue, or he will start hunting a ghost. Eventually he will mess up, and that will be our opening."
Dagur tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What happens if they catch you?"
"I won't be for very long," Hiccup answered confidently. "Someone will always be nearby to get me out."
"You've already told the rest of the Riders about this?" Dagur asked, feeling hurt that he was the last to know.
"Kind of. I sent the Terror Mail out this morning," Hiccup explained. "Just waiting to hear back."
"What if they don't agree with the plan?" Dagur wondered.
Hiccup shrugged. "Then we'll come up with something else. But I don't see that happening. This will be the quickest and easiest way to draw Johann out."
With practiced ease, Hiccup dodged the arrows being shot at him as he ran toward the dragon he had been riding. Once in the air, he let out an exhilarated laugh.
"You are enjoying this too much," someone said as they flew up next to him.
"Evening, Mi'Lady," Hiccup greeted. "Fancy meeting you out here."
Astrid smiled at the sight of her betrothed. "Do we have any way of knowing if this plan is working?"
"Yeah, I overheard two Hunters talking about how Johann and Krogan are starting to butt heads because Johann is wasting resources on a dead man," Hiccup answered.
"Well, something better happen soon," Astrid stated. "This plan is getting dangerous. I don't want to see you hurt again."
Hiccup laughed. For the past three months, he showed up on random islands that had heavy Hunter presences, making sure to be seen at least once. On one island, Johann spotted him and began screaming at his men to catch him. But by the time the Hunters saw where he was pointing, Hiccup had disappeared.
"Everything is going to be fine," he reassured. "We have enough of the night left for one more island. Where should we go?"
Johann paced his office while Krogan and two Hunters stood to the side and watched. Occasionally, they would have to duck to avoid the knives he would throw.
"Why would he taunt me like this?" Johann grumbled. "What is he planning?"
"What is who planning?" Krogan asked, already knowing the answer.
"Hiccup!" Johann exclaimed. "Hunters keep seeing him all over, but only at night. Why? What is he doing? Is he hiding the lenses? Does he know something I don't?"
"He's dead, Johann," Krogan tiredly stated. "He's been dead for five months now. Perhaps what you think you saw is a figment of your imagination."
"Then why do other Hunters report seeing him?" Johann demanded
"To appease you," Krogan answered.
Johann shook his head. "No, he's alive. I know he is. I have spent too many years watching that pest to believe he'd simply just die from an infection. He's much too stubborn. We're heading to Berk. I need to make him come to me."
Krogan sighed but nodded. "So be it. I'll inform the men."
Stoick stood on the cliff above the Academy, scanning the horizon. His son was out there, wreaking havoc among the Hunters. Leaving many confused. The rumors of him being alive had spread to Berk, and many of the villagers were beginning to speculate that he probably faked his death.
The Berkian Chief was certain he'd have to make an announcement soon and reveal the truth. He was hesitant to do so. He'd seen how many of them acted in the days following his son's supposed death. They seem unbothered that he was gone, almost relieved. He knew Astrid had noticed this as well but said nothing. It was a discussion for another day, once Hiccup was home.
He looked down at the Academy. Inside, Fishlegs and Gothi were trying to get Toothless to eat. The dragon had stopped eating and seemed to enter some sort of hibernation three days ago. No one could figure out why. Best guess, he'd been grounded for too long, and Hiccup being gone didn't help.
Fishlegs had offered to fly Toothless, but the dragon rejected him. Gobber sent out a Terror Mail to Berserker Island to let Hiccup know what was going on.
His son needed to find a way to come home and soon. Stoick wasn't sure how long Toothless could hold out without his rider.
Dagur stood outside the stables and watched as Hiccup landed on the platform. Once he was off his Nadder, Dagur walked over to him and wordlessly handed him a piece of paper.
Hiccup took the paper. "What's this?"
"It's from Berk," Dagur said. "I think it's time to end this charade."
Hiccup read the letter. It wasn't coded. "It says Toothless has stopped eating, and they aren't sure why." He looked up at Dagur, who gave him a knowing look. "I need to go home."
"I know," Dagur said. "I already sent a Terror Mail telling them we would be there as soon as possible."
"We?" Hiccup asked, shoving the letter into his satchel.
"Johann is out there, heading to Berk," Dagur said before whistling for Sleuther. "You will need backup if you're going to make it back to Toothless in one piece."
The Pride of Berk climbed back on to his Nadder. "How do you know this?"
"Mala and Throk," Dagur said, jumping on to the Triple Strike. "They were at the Northern Markets and overheard some Hunters mention Johann was going to Berk."
"So we still have a head start?" Hiccup figured. "We're an hour's flight from Berk. And it takes a week to get from the Northern Markets to Berk in good weather."
"Best to not waste any time then," Dagur agreed before taking off. Hiccup followed right behind him.
Notes:
This story should be wrapping up soon, but who knows? Definitely not me. This was supposed to be a simple 3-4 chapter story where I got to slap Hiccup around a bit. Now it's in the double digits and playing out like a soap opera
Anyways, I hope you all are enjoying the story. Please consider dropping a review. I love getting feedback
Until next time.
Chapter 11: Chapter 11
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Hiccup and Dagur landed right outside the Academy. Hiccup wasted no time rushing in. In the center was Toothless, who lay curled up. Next to his dragon stood his father, Gobber, and Gothi.
"Son," Stoick greeted. "You're here."
Hiccup knelt down next to Toothless and rested his head against his snout. "Hey bud. I'm here. I'm so sorry for leaving."
Toothless let out a low croon as he stirred from his sleep. Very slowly he opened his eyes and gave Hiccup a small lick.
Hiccup pulled back a bit but didn't let go of his dragon. "Yeah, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere again."
Toothless purred and butted his head against his human hatchling's chest. Hiccup let out a small laugh. The adults standing over them seemed to start to relax as Toothless appeared to start feeling better.
"How about some fish, bud?" Hiccup suggested. "You need to eat."
The Night Fury bobbed his head up and down in agreement. Carefully and slowly, the dragon managed to stand up. He cautiously stepped over to the nearby basket of fish and took a few fish out to eat.
Hiccup stood up and walked over to the dragon. Stoick followed behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well done, son."
"Thanks, Dad," Hiccup replied, as he studied his dragon's slow movements. "I never should have left. Toothless needed me, and I failed him."
"You're home now," Gobber pointed out. "That's all that matters."
The Dragon Rider shook his head. "Not soon enough. Johann is on his way, and Toothless might not recover in time to fight."
"Johann is on his way?" Stoick asked. "How long do we have?"
"Less than a week," Dagur said, walking over to the Berkians. "I can have several ships full of Berserker soldiers ready to help fight before then, should you require extra aid."
"Send for them," Stoick said. "We might need them. Healers too."
"I'll be back," Dagur nodded to the older chief before heading back out.
Hiccup looked up at his father. "We need to tell the tribe I'm alive and what's been going on. We can't keep them in the dark any longer."
"Aye," Stoick agreed. "We'll hold a village meeting once you've gotten some rest."
Hiccup shook his head. "No. We need to tell them now. The sooner, the better."
"What about Toothless?" Gobber asked. "He can barely move."
"Have the meeting here," Hiccup answered as he sat down, pulling the hood of his cloak over his head. "I'm not leaving his side."
Toothless finished his few pieces of fish and then laid back down, resting his head in Hiccup's lap.
Stoick looked over at Gobber and nodded. "Go. Head to the town square; tell everyone to head over here." He looked over at his son. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," Hiccup replied, studying his dragon's face.
Hiccup listened as the villagers gathered around the Academy, talking about the strange person holding Toothless. His face was obscured by the cloak he wore, so none knew who that was sitting with the resident Night Fury.
Stoick watched as the last of his people settled in around the arena. He could see many of them pointing and murmuring about the cloaked figure sitting in the center. They were speculating and taking bets.
The chief raised his hand, demanding quiet. "Thank you all for getting here as quickly as possible. This meeting is a matter of urgency. I have just received word that Johann and his Dragon Hunters are on their way here. They will be here within the week. According to our sources, he is looking for Hiccup."
"But he's dead," someone pointed out.
Stoick bit the inside of his cheek before he continued speaking. "That is another reason I've gathered you all here. You see, some months ago, after Hiccup was injured, Johann snuck onto the island and tried to kidnap him. We stopped him, but he made it clear that he wouldn't stop in his pursuit of the Dragon Eye lenses. Hiccup was in danger if he stayed, so a plan was formulated. We told you all that he had developed a life-ending infection, but in reality, Hiccup was fine. He was taken to Berserker Island to continue healing. Once he was fully recovered, he enacted a dangerous plan to draw Johann out. And the plan has worked."
Hiccup took his cloak off and looked up at the crowd. Many seemed shocked, several looked angry, and others looked upset. He stood up and stepped up next to his father. "Apologies for the deception, everyone, and I'll be more than happy to talk about it later, but for now we need to focus on fortifying the island and figuring out how to stop him from ever getting here."
"Fly out and fight him," someone suggested.
"Toothless is in no condition to fight," Hiccup stated. "He's been grounded for too long. Dragons need to fly to remain healthy. I didn't plan on being gone this long. For now, we have to rely on reconnaissance and preparations. Anyone who is unable to fight needs to head for the caves on the other side of the mountains. Get what we can from the traders while we can. Food, medicinal herbs, bandages, and so on. If you have a dragon and want to fight, come back here before sunrise and we'll teach you the basics of aerial combat."
"Why didn't you stop him earlier?" a different person in the crowd asked.
"I was not in a position to charge headfirst into battle," Hiccup answered. "Throwing him off his game seemed to be the way to go, while I continued to regain my strength. And it worked, just not the way I planned. That's not important right now, though. We need to prepare."
"My son is right," Stoick spoke. "You know what needs to be done, so get to it. We have less than a week to get ready. This meeting is adjourned."
The crowd dispersed, heading back to the village and docks. Stoick looked over at his son, who had gone back to sit with Toothless. The next several days were going to be taxing.
"How long until he can fly?" Stoick asked.
"The sooner I can get him in the air, the better his chances," Hiccup answered, scratching the Night Fury's chin. "After I get him to eat a bit more, we'll try going for a flight."
"Skullcrusher and I will join you," Stoick offered.
Hiccup shook his head. "No. I want it to be just me and him. We won't go far."
"Aye," Stoick nodded, not liking the idea. But he had to trust his son. "I'll be down by the docks if you need me."
As the sun reached its peak, Hiccup and Toothless stood just outside the Academy entrance. After eating some more fish, Toothless appeared to be feeling better. For a while, the two just walked around the arena, letting Toothless get used to using his legs again after spending days lying down.
"Ready, Bud?" Hiccup asked as he climbed onto the dragon.
Toothless roared in agreement as he spread his wings and took to the sky. His flight pattern was uneven, but with Hiccup's help, he managed to balance himself as he soared higher toward the clouds.
"Easy, Toothless," Hiccup warned. "We don't want to go too high just yet."
The Night Fury grumbled and ceased his ascent. He evened himself out at the lower altitude. The two flew above the forest for a while, steadily climbing higher, adjusting as needed. Hiccup offered encouraging words as well as warnings to not rush their progress. That despite the ticking sundial, they had time to practice.
As the sun began to set, Toothless yawned, and the two headed home. They landed right outside the front door, where the Riders and Stoick were waiting for them.
"How's he doing?" Stoick asked Hiccup as he dismounted.
Hiccup patted Toothless's head. "Better than I thought. We had a few close calls, but everything turned out fine. Tomorrow we'll have better results."
"We might not have tomorrow," Fishlegs said.
"What do you mean?" Hiccup wondered.
"We just received Terror Mail from Alvin," Astrid stated. "Johann's ships were spotted just outside Outcast Island's borders. If the winds play to his favor, he'll be here by the afternoon."
"Then we need to hurry," Hiccup said matter-of-factly, as he climbed back onto Toothless. "We can't let him reach our borders."
"You just said Toothless needed more time," Fishlegs pointed out.
The Pride of Berk looked at the Night Fury. "Your choice, Bud."
Toothless looked at the other humans, studying their faces. All of them had a look of defeat before the battle had even been fought. The dragon knew his presence was needed to win the fight, but he also knew that he needed more time. If he and Hiccup went out, they might not come back. But that was a risk both of them were willing to take.
The Night Fury unfurled his wings, making his decision clear. Hiccup looked at his friends. "Okay, gang. Let's get going."
Notes:
If you are enjoying the story, please consider dropping a review and some kudos. I love getting feedback
Until next time
Chapter 12: Chapter 12
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Johann watched as Hiccup and Toothless flew between ships, sinking them. So far no one had been able to capture the boy and his dragon. "I want that Night Fury and its puny rider!" he kept repeating to his men. He was going to keep doing so until those two were brought down and placed in one of his cages.
Hiccup could hear Johann shouting for his capture and did his best to ignore it. They needed to time the final part of their plan perfectly. He looked around at his friends and saw that they had successfully sunken all the ships except for one that held Johann.
"Astrid, Fishlegs, on me," Hiccup ordered. "Snotlout, Ruff, and Tuff surround the ship. Do not sink it until we have what we came for."
The Riders took their positions. Astrid was on his left while Fishlegs was on his right. Snotlout took his place at the mainmast, while the twins took the rear.
Hiccup, briefly wondering if he had gone mad from the past several months, landed Toothless on the deck of the Hunter ship. Inches from Johann's face. "This can go one of two ways, Johann. Either you and your remaining Hunters come with us, or we blow your ship to smithereens."
Johann was silent to the count of five before he started laughing. As he chuckled as he began to pace the deck, his men watching him nervously. "I knew you were alive. They called me mad for saying you were alive. But I knew I was right. Death by infection doesn't suit your way of life." He laughed again before continuing. "Do you really think I'm just going to surrender to you that easily? So you sunk some ships, oh well. We have more. Sinking this ship won't change anything. We're too close to your borders for you to take such a risk. Survivors can easily swim to your shores and wreak havoc on that pathetic village of yours. Your only choice is to kill me right here, right now. But you won't. You don't have it in you. You want to redeem me, not kill me."
Hiccup's eyebrows furrowed as he fixed his glare at the traitor. "Don't be so sure, Johann. You stole five months of my life after spending a day torturing me for something I will never give you. Once upon a time, I thought I could save you. But that day you tied me to a tree, I realized there was no hope for you. You get one chance. Either come with us or sink."
"Or better yet," Johann pulled out a dagger and threw it at Hiccup, "I take you prisoner again."
Hiccup screamed as the dagger plunged itself into his right arm. He wrapped his left hand around the wound, careful not to remove the blade. He opened Toothless's tailfin and did his best to hold onto the saddle with his injured arm. "Toothless, sky."
The Night Fury obeyed and took off toward the clouds, doing his best to keep his rider on his back. Below them, the rest of the Riders and their dragons were setting the ship ablaze, leaving no openings for anyone to escape.
Toothless and Hiccup landed on a nearby seastack. The Rider unhooked himself from the stirrups and stumbled off of the Night Fury. He managed to get down on his knees, where he took a moment to try breathing through the pain. He looked down at his injured arm. The blade wasn't too deep. He could probably pull it out without risking further injury. He went to grab the hilt but stopped when he noticed the blade was serrated. He couldn't pull it out. He would have to leave it in until Gothi could remove it properly. If he tried, he risked tearing muscle and nerves.
He wasn't sure how long he sat there, but at some point, Astrid and Fishlegs had landed their dragons on the seastack and were standing in front of him.
"Hiccup?" Astrid asked, jarring him from his thoughtless trance.
"Huh?" was all Hiccup could say in response as his brain restarted as he looked up at his betrothed.
Astrid kneeled in front of him. "I asked if you were okay."
Hiccup glanced at the dagger in his arm, then back at her. "Y-yeah. I think so. Just need to see Gothi. It's serrated."
"Oh gods," Fishlegs gasped as he stepped back over to Meatlug. He grabbed his saddlebag and pulled out a roll of bandages. He headed back over to his best friend, kneeling down at his side. He carefully wrapped the wound, doing his best to not disturb the blade.
"Can you fly?" Astrid asked.
"Yeah, I can fly," Hiccup replied as he used his good hand to push himself up. Astrid and Fishlegs helped, wanting to make sure he didn't fall over. Once he was standing, he began to sway.
"I'll fly on Toothless with you," Astrid stated, leaving no room for argument. "You're too unsteady to keep yourself and Toothless in the air."
The Pride of Berk just nodded. Fishlegs helped him climb back onto Toothless, while Astrid grabbed her own saddlebag off of Stormfly. It was a short flight, but anything could happen between here and Berk, so it was better to be prepared.
"What happened to Johann?" Hiccup asked as Astrid climbed onto the Night Fury.
"With any luck, he went down with the ship," Astrid answered. "Don't worry about that right now. Let's just focus on getting home. After Gothi gets the dagger out and you're well rested, we'll talk about what happened."
Toothless, fighting exhaustion, landed on Gothi's platform. Once the humans were off of him, he collapsed, his legs no longer willing to hold him up. Astrid tried to guide Hiccup over to Gothi, but he was determined to check on his dragon first.
Very carefully he knelt down in front of Toothless and placed his good hand on his snout. "You did good, Bud. Rest now. Astrid will have someone bring you some fish and take you home. Okay?"
Toothless purred, liking the idea of eating and then going home to sleep on his rock. With heavy eyes, he watched as Astrid pulled his humsn hatchling away and handed him over to Gothi, who guided him into her hut. Once the door was shut, Toothless closed his eyes, falling asleep instantly, dreaming of baskets full of his favorite fish.
Inside the hut, Hiccup sat down on the guest bed and watched as Gothi set the medicine bag down next to him. The first thing she did was pull out a pair of shears and cut the bandage away. She then cut the sleeve of his tunic. Every step in the process was slow and methodical, as to not disturb the blade. One wrong movement and Hiccup could either lose his arm or bleed to death.
Once the sleeve was removed, she gestured for him to carefully lie down. He did as she wanted, figuring she'd have an easier time removing the blade. She rummaged through her bag for a moment before pulling out three things: a tonic, a cloth, and a scalpel.
She uncorked the tonic and pressed it to Hiccup's lips. He drank it without any issues, a vague idea forming as to what she was about to do. After he finished the tonic, she placed the cloth in his mouth and gestured for him to look upwards instead of at what she was doing. The young man obliged; he had no desire to watch.
Gothi positioned the scalpel in one hand and gingerly pressed down on the skin around the wound. With practiced ease, she cut into Hiccup's arm on either side of the blade, careful not to go deeper than it. Hiccup's cries were muffled by the rag, but he didn't move. He remained looking at the ceiling, tears slowly running down the sides of his face.
With the appropriate cuts made, the wizened healer began to slowly remove the serrated blade. It took time, and she kept having to clean away the blood so she could see what she was doing. After what felt like an eternity, the blade was removed. She tossed the blade to the side and grabbed several cloths, applying pressure to the wound.
She took hold of Hiccup's left hand and wrapped it around the cloth. As he applied pressure to his own wound, she grabbed a jar of honey and her needle and thread. She dipped the needle into the honey, then had Hiccup remove his hand and the cloths. With a steady hand, she began to sew the wound shut.
Just as she was applying the final stitch, Stoick barged in, clearly fearing the worst. Not looking up from what she was doing, she held up a finger for him to wait while she finished tying off the thread. Once done, she cut the needle and remaining thread away, then poured some more honey over the now closed wound. She then removed the cloth from Hiccup's mouth and gestured for him to sit up.
Despite how exhausted he felt, he did as she wanted and looked over at his father. "Hey, Dad."
"What happened?" Stoick asked as he walked over to his son and healer.
Hiccup's eyebrows knitted as he tried to focus enough to answer. "Short story. I tried to give Johann a choice. He decided to throw a dagger at me. Dagger was serrated, and Gothi just finished removing it. I'm not entirely sure what happened to Johann. That's an Astrid question."
Gothi grabbed a roll of clean bandages and began wrapping them around the wound. When she was done, she handed Hiccup another tonic but gestured for him to wait. She picked up her staff and began writing.
Hiccup squinted, trying to read her writing. "I can't really make it out, but I think she's telling me to take this when I get home because it's meant for sleep."
Gothi nodded, pleased with the translation.
"Aye," Stoick said, taking the tonic from his son. "I'll make sure he takes it once we get home."
Before the Haddock men left to head home, Gothi placed Hiccup's injured arm in a sling with instructions to keep it in place until the stitches could be removed.
With his dad's help, Hiccup made it up the stairs to his room and sat on the bed. On the other side of the room was Toothless, who was fast asleep on his rock, snoring. Stoick sat in the chair by his desk and handed his son the tonic. "Do you know anything else that happened out there?"
Hiccup thought for a moment before wearily shaking his head. "Just what I told you at Gothi's. Maybe I'll recall more later."
"It's okay, son," Stoick reassured, standing back up. "Don't worry about it. Just rest. If you need anything, I'll be downstairs."
Hiccup nodded, then drank the tonic. He laid down, closed his eyes, and was asleep almost instantly. Stoick removed his son's prosthetic leg and pulled the blanket over him before walking back downstairs.
Just as he was lighting a fire in the hearth, Astrid walked in, not really bothering to knock. Ever since Hiccup had announced their betrothal, Astrid had started treating the Haddock home like she also lived there. Stoick didn't mind. He was glad she felt comfortable enough to just walk in whenever she pleased.
"How is he?" Astrid asked as she shut the door behind her.
"He fell asleep a few minutes ago," Stoick replied as he walked over to the cupboards and pulled out a small cauldron. "He'll be fine in a week or so. Gothi took that damned dagger out and stitched him up."
The blonde warrior breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. I was worried getting it out would cause more problems."
Stoick filled the cauldron with some dried meats, bones, vegetables, and water before placing it over the fire. "Aye. Hiccup couldn't tell me much about what happened out, but suggested you could."
Astrid sat down at the table, picking up a spoon to fidget with before answering. "The battle was going great. We sunk all the ships, except the one Johann was on. Hiccup gave him an ultimatum: come with us or go down with the ship. Johann ranted some nonsensical things about Hiccup faking his death before taking the dagger out and throwing it. Once Hiccup was safely away, we sank the ship. Fishlegs and I went to check on Hiccup, leaving Snotlout, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut to search the debris to make sure Johann was dead."
"Is he?" Stoick asked, stirring the stew.
Astrid shook her head. "They couldn't find a trace of him. So either he burned before the ship went down or he managed to escape. Either way, we'll know soon if he lived or not."
Stoick sighed. "Well, let's hope he didn't. We'll head out in the morning to keep searching."
Hiccup woke up to the feeling of dragon drool dripping onto his forehead. He opened his eyes and was greeted with a lick to the face from a very excited Night Fury. "Hey, Bud," Hiccup said, wiping the slobber away with his free hand. "Good to see you too. Feeling better, I see."
Toothless roared in agreement before pouncing upwards, landing on the beam above Hiccup's bed.
The Dragon Rider sat up, looked at his dragon, and sighed. "Toothless, you know you're supposed to be up there."
Toothless whined but got down and sat at the foot of Hiccup's bed, watching him. Hiccup set his foot on the floor and grabbed his prosthetic off the desk. After a bit of fumbling, he managed to get it on with one hand and click it into place.
He stood and tested the metal extension of his body, making sure it would stay on. "That's better." He looked over at Toothless. "Why don't we head downstairs for something to eat?"
Toothless bobbed his head up and down as he moved to walk beside his human hatchling.
As they reached the bottom step, Stoick and Astrid walked in, both looking tired and upset.
"You're awake," Astrid stated. "We thought you would sleep the day away given everything."
Hiccup gave her a one-armed shrug. "Aside from my arm, I feel fine. That was probably the best sleep I've had these past months."
"How does the arm feel, son?" Stoick asked.
"Hurts a bit, but that's to be expected," Hiccup replied. "If it feels worse, I'll head to Gothi for a tonic. Where did you guys go?"
"We went to check the wreckage of the battle," Astrid answered.
"For Johann?" Hiccup guessed.
"Aye," Stoick answered. "No sign of him, though."
"So he's probably still out there," Hiccup figured, his fine mood souring.
"Looks like it," Astrid said. "Hiccup, I'm so sorry."
Hiccup studied their faces for a moment. He could tell what they were thinking, and he wasn't about to put them through that again. "No need to be sorry, Astrid. If he's alive, we'll deal with him sooner or later. I'm not going back into hiding or playing anymore mind games. Let him come after me; I'll be ready."
"He'll torture you again," Stoick pointed out.
"He won't get that chance," Hiccup reassured.
"How do you know that?" Astrid wondered, staring at Hiccup with confusion in her eyes.
"Because we're going to find that last lens and the King of Dragons before he does," Hiccup stated, matter-of-factly. "We'll head back to the Edge as soon as we can and begin our search for the final lens. I have a few ideas where it might be."
Astrid stepped over to him and offered a small smile. "Okay, when do you want to leave?"
Notes:
This chapter marks the end of the story. For anyone wondering, this took place sometime between Viggo's death and Stoick getting hurt. I hope you all enjoyed reading it. I sure had fun writing it even though it didn't go as planned. I'm still not sure how a 4-chapter story turned into a 12-chapter soap opera, but hey, that's writing for you.
As always, don't forget to leave a review letting me know what you think. I love getting feedback
See you in the next story
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