Beyond Thunderstruck
Author's note: This story I am posting here, does not entirely belong to me. This story mainly belongs to my partner of whom is doing most of the writing. I am mainly helping with some ideas, editing & posting the story here on FanFiction. He is also re-posting the story onto his AO3 profile. I am posting his story here because he does not have an account on FanFiction, and I already have an account with quite a few HTTYD fans here. I will have a link in my profile, so you can personally view or validate what I am talking about. For any news/updates on my stories, please go to my profile.
Info:
This story DOES NOT take into account the events of Season 6 of Race To The Edge (RTTE). This story only takes on board all the events of all the seasons of Riders of Berk, Defenders of Berk, all of RTTE (except for season 6 of course) and HTTYD 1 & 2. This story is based after HTTYD 2, so the events of RTTE Season 6 are non-existent in this story.
Please note this story is a Dagcup fic (HiccupXDagur), if you don't like that sort of thing consider not reading.
Chapter 1: Eye of the Berserkers
It had only been several months since Hiccup had been appointed as the new chief of Berk and already the Hooligan felt uneasy. Well it wasn't his decision to make. His father, Stoick the Vast- in both physicality and conviction, was mercilessly murdered by one of Hiccup's most formidable foes: Drago Bludvist. The dark and tyrannical villain enslaved dragons using the king of all dragons, a Bewilderbeast. Dragons were not meant to be enslaved, they are friends. And it was through Hiccup's friendship with Toothless that defeated Drago and his Bewilderbeast. It sent the despot cursing at and disappearing into the horizon.
Since then, Hiccup attempted to take his late-father's place as the chief of Berk. Unfortunately for him, the responsibilities of a Chief were not as it was cracked up to be. Plenty of head scratches and stammering occurred while Hiccup performed his duties. Even Toothless felt similarly despite his thorough understanding of the complexities of human life.
Many days Hiccup wondered what convinced everyone that he would be able to live up to his father's legacy. Everyone was always supportive, especially Valka, Gobber and Astrid; even Snotlout. Then again, everyone felt the loss of their previous Hooligan chief and knew that things would never be the same again. Still, everyone moved forward for it was what Stoick would want.
If only he were here to see a new Berk, where the bond between humans and dragons grew stronger to greet the new dawn.
Stoick would be proud of him, Hiccup's mother Valka reminded him time and again however, Hiccup simply could not bring himself to fully commit to this new life. At least the role was perfect for his romantic relationship with Astrid.
Being in Berk has helped Hiccup establish a routine and balance between his professional and private life. It also helped that Astrid was often by his side, from advising with decision making to adjusting his prosthetic leg. She was the ideal partner for Hiccup and everyone frequently pointed it out.
Everyone was also particularly keen with the supposedly inevitable date of their wedding. It was not only customary for Berk to have a grand celebration for his and Astrid's union, but this event would be the first that involved dragons. In addition, Hiccup and Astrid would be expected to eventually produce an heir to the Chiefdom. His mother was especially keen for a grandchild, one that Hiccup thought would fill the void of being unable to care for him when he was a babe.
Nonetheless, pressure built inside Hiccup like an itch that couldn't be scratched. Everywhere he went, expectations were set, rules and regulations needed to be enforced both as a chief and a friend to his loved ones. Dragons included. They always were.
Thankfully, Toothless would hoist Hiccup on his saddle and fly him to the sea where they frequently watched the sun set in the horizon. Just the two of them, where Hiccup could share all his frustrations and exhaustions to his friend. Sometimes they did not need to speak to one another. Simply gazing at the setting sun, listening to the sounds of the ocean and feeling the cool breeze on his skin relieved Hiccup.
For a moment, Hiccup was able to dig deep within him and calm the troubling itch which irritated and seethed under his skin. In that time, Hiccup was not bound to anything or anyone, so was Toothless for that matter. They were both able to calmly coexist in that small pocket of time before dusk ended.
A word or an idea would appear in Hiccup's thoughts and as soon as he tried to grab hold of it-
"Hiccup!"
-it flickered away.
Stormfly carrying Astrid headed toward Hiccup's roosting platform. The deadly nadder landed carefully to allow its rider to land on her feet and walk toward Hiccup with a fond smile.
The remaining sunlight shone softly on Astrid's face which reminded Hiccup to ask himself, how he got so lucky to have a woman like Astrid in his life. A woman who was just as in love with him as he was to her.
He got up to meet his girlfriend half-way with a kiss on the lips.
"Gobber told me that you flew out to sea after your meeting. And since you've been coming here these past few weeks, I figured you'd be here." Astrid placed a hand on Hiccup's face before he could answer. "Is something wrong?"
Hiccup looked down very briefly before forming a forced serene smile on his face. "Wrong? Nothing's wrong? What makes you ask that?" Flustered, Hiccup couldn't help but movie his eyes around like he usually would. Tried as he might, he could not hide many things from Astrid. No matter what he did, she always seemed to know.
"You know you can tell me." Astrid replied before putting on that concerned frown which immediately made Hiccup regret attempting to conceal anything. He sighed then took her hand to the edge of the platform where they faced the disappearing sun.
"Its just-," Hiccup paused for a moment to reflect whether all the things he had shared with Toothless would not be met with as much empathy as his dragon had. Toothless and Stormfly sat not far from where they were standing and gazed at the quickly darkening sky.
"I don't want to sound like I'm complaining but…" Hiccup looked down searching for the right words to say. "Ever since I became the Chief of Berk, I've felt like I'm forcing myself to live up to my father's shoes. Be who he was, as he was." His eyes turned to Astrid who gazed at him with such attentiveness.
"But Hiccup-," Astrid tried to interject however Hiccup continued.
"I know I'm not like Stoick the Vast and I'll never be like him. All I can be is myself and you'll probably say that it's all I'll need to be. I get that. However, it still doesn't stop me from wondering if it's enough." Hiccup looked up to the sky and wondered if his father was looking down from Valhalla.
"That Hiccup Haddock is enough as the Chief of Berk." His gaze fell back to the horizon where the day's final rays of sunlight peeked.
Astrid's left hand reached for Hiccup's right cheek to turn his face toward hers.
"Hiccup Haddock, you are more than enough to be the Chief of Berk, the leader of our people and dragons. I know I'm not exaggerating when I say that everyone believes in you. No matter what the future brings, we will believe in you to lead and guide us. And you do not have to pressure yourself or get insecure. You don't need to go through it alone."
With Astrid's kiss on his lips, Hiccup's worries seemed to melt away. "We will be there for you every step of the way."
Hiccup breathed a deeply appreciative 'thank you' to Astrid's lips.
Astrid's touch and breath against his skin was all it took to render Hiccup's knees weak and cheeks flushed red. With a quick glance, Hiccup noticed Toothless and Stormfly staring at them with great curiosity. It was a look they made whenever he and Astrid shared intimate moments.
They made the look again when he and Astrid bid them to sleep on their respective stables built next to Hiccup's home. They bid their dragons good night before retiring into Hiccup's home. As soon as the door was shut, Hiccup and Astrid were all over each other. Pieces of their armour and garments were dropped at the front door, on the stairs and eventually on Hiccup's bedroom floor. Hiccup's lips barely left Astrid's so did his hands. They cusped Astrid's womanly curves with great gusto.
Their sweat covered bodies and tangled limbs formed silhouettes on the wall using the lantern outside that Toothless lighted earlier. When moans replaced exhausted panting, Toothless blew the lantern which sent embers rising to the night sky.
By morning, Berk was bathed with warmth and the fresh scent of ocean breeze filled the lungs of those who could not help but get up before the sun rose. Being awake first, Hiccup watched his sleeping girlfriend with such awe. He couldn't help but leave a kiss on her cheek. He was careful enough not to wake her before sliding out of bed to prepare breakfast for them both.
When Astrid woke up, Hiccup had just finished preparing the table. She felt bad for not helping him but after a reassuring kiss, a warm smile appeared on her face. Throughout the meal, neither could help glancing at each other fondly and conversed about the night they had. Every now and then, Hiccup would feel Astrid's leg brush against his which turned his cheeks slightly light pink.
They had not even finished eating when Fishlegs knocked on the door. They both shared an all too common look at each other: Hiccup's day as Chief had begun.
Throughout the day, Hiccup was hounded by duties like any other day this week. Disputes were settled, compromises were made, and preventing the twins from causing too much chaos…typical chiefly duties. Today however, Hiccup could not remove the goofy smile on his face as Snotlout loudly pointed out for everyone to hear. He made a smile whenever he saw Astrid, helping others and advising him. Snotloud must be exhausted from how much he rolled his eyes today.
"C'mon! Again?" Snotlout complained after catching Hiccup look at Astrid again. "Are you seeing this?" The shorter dark-haired Viking rolled his eyes then leaned toward Toothless who huffed then approached Hiccup before warbling. The Jorgenson groaned in despair and flicked his hands at the trio before exiting. He ranted something about a family and being domestic that Hiccup couldn't make out.
Surprisingly, Hiccup's chiefly duties ended by noon right after a trader ship visited. Plenty crowded around this trade ship because it traveled to unchartered lands past the archipelago. The other dragon riders were able to find something useful for themselves and their dragons. Unfortunately, Hiccup was too busy supervising and checking for any dangerous goods to enjoy some light shopping.
When the ship left, Astrid tapped Hiccup on his right shoulder to ask to meet him on the platform where Hiccup daily watched the sunset. With a kiss on the cheek and gently gripping Astrid's hands, Hiccup agreed and told her that he was looking forward to it.
But before Hiccup could let go of Astrid's hands, he heard the frantic beating of wings heading their direction.
When he looked up he saw a terrible terror land on Toothless' saddle then it gawked at him.
"A Terrible Terror?" Upon closer inspection, Hiccup noticed a scroll tied to the dragon. He took the scroll and found a berserker stamp on it. His brows furrowed with curiosity and began reading its contents.
Dear Hiccup,
It's been a while since we've spoken. Not since Dagur and I visited Berk to pay our respects to your late-father.
Speaking of Dagur, he is the reason why I wrote to you. Several days ago, we received information regarding Drago's whereabouts. Before contacting you, we wanted to ensure that the information was reliable, so we went and inspected the place. Unfortunately, we were unable to further explore the area as we were ambushed by Dragon Hunters. Dagur and I managed to escape however Dagur's dragon Sleuther was captured.
We returned to the place with an armada, only to find it empty with no trace of the dragon hunters even being there to begin with.
We also did not get in touch with you sooner because Dagur refused to ask for help. He did not want to burden you given your recent loss.
However, we are running out of options and I'm sure Dagur is growing increasingly worried about Sleuther. I know he is also filled with guilt for what happened. He's not in a very good state and I'm trying my best to help him but there's only so much that I can do. Aside from myself, there is only one other person he'd listen to, and that person is you Hiccup.
I'm sorry for asking this, but I don't know what else to do.
Please come to Berserker Island and talk some sense to Dagur. Please Hiccup, Dagur may not ask for it but we need your help.
I'll be waiting for your arrival.
Your friend,
Heather
"Who's it from?" Astrid asked when Hiccup looked up. She took the letter from him to read it for herself.
"It's from Heather. She says that they were ambushed and that the dragon hunters have Sleuther." Hiccup replied then turned to Toothless with a worried frown.
For some reason, a pang of sadness spread in his chest when he replayed Heather's words in his mind: He did not want to burden you given your recent loss.
"Hiccup?" Astrid's voice quickly pulled him back to reality, "are we going to see them?"
"Of course." Hiccup replied without hesitation in his voice, "why wouldn't we? Heather is practically one of us and Dagur…well you know Dagur." A small chuckle left his throat which brought a smile to Astrid's face.
"Then what're we waiting for? Let's hit the clouds to Berserker Island."
Last time Hiccup and Astrid went to Berserker Island was around the time before the Edge was destroyed by Johann, Krogan and Viggo. Hiccup and all the dragon riders were invited to attend the annual Berserker Island festival where Fishlegs and Heather got too close for Dagur's liking. Astrid recounted when Hiccup tried to distract Dagur with a drinking game so that Heather and Fishlegs can have some time alone together. Unfortunately, it led to Dagur shoving a cup of wine to Hiccup's lips. Though Hiccup resisted and slightly gagged throughout the process, Dagur would've noticed Heather and Fishlegs' absence. Thus, he drank from the cup and the dragon riders saw Hiccup drunk for the first time. Fishlegs owed him so much after that night.
"I am never going to another Berserker Festival again." Hiccup shivered then shook the memories away.
"I dunno Hiccup. I wouldn't say never, you seemed like you had a great time. You were laughing at all of Dagur's jokes and I don't think I've ever seen you so…" Astrid rolled her tongue at the last word.
"So…what?" Hiccup asked turning to her.
"At ease. I haven't seen you have fun and let loose since." Astrid chuckled softly to herself. "You were especially touchy-feely around Dagur-,"
"Alright I get your point!" Hiccup had to interject, and he was sure that his face started to turn red from remembering that night.
"So much has changed since we last saw them, I wonder how Heather and Dagur are..." Astrid contemplated to herself which triggered another burning memory in Hiccup's mind.
The destruction of the Edge. Ashes and dust were all what was left after Johann, Krogan and Viggo banded together to destroy their second home. To Hiccup, it was practically their main home throughout the years.
"Hiccup?" Astrid called out to him again, sending the Haddock back to their reality. "We're here."
Hiccup and Astrid arrived at Berserker Island hearing welcoming cheers from its people. Both humans and dragons lived harmoniously as they did in Berk since they discovered what caused the dragons to react strangely when flying over the island, then resolved it.
The island seemed more like a fortress than civilization. There were watch towers on the highest points of the island and in every direction. At least greenery remained where pastures were managed by both dragons and Berserkers. The shores had plenty of harbors to shelter boats filled with fish. No doubt these structures were built with the help of dragons. Hiccup had not seen this much change in the Berserker island's landscape in such a short period of time.
Toothless and Stormfly landed at the entrance harbor of the island to ask the guard on Heather's whereabouts. The guard pointed at the stables where the combat divisions were being supervised by her. The guard also informed them that Heather had noticed their arrival and decided to wait for them there.
When they reached the stables, Heather was waiting for them and as usual was accompanied by Windshear. The raven-haired Berserker was looking better than ever. She was probably one of the most-beautiful women Hiccup had ever seen, second to Astrid of course. Fishlegs was one lucky Viking to have her heart.
Silver plated armor made from Razor-whip scales usually covered Heather's attire, always robust and battle-ready. However today, Heather wore a white fluffy dress with some Razor-whip scales lightly woven throughout. There were some Skrill shaped ornaments on her chest and belt. Two were clipped where her hooded cape hung. She walked forward and gave them both a tight hug.
"Thanks for coming, I know you must have more important things to do. If I had known you'd be arriving today, I would've prepared something for your arrival." Heather commented with a soft smile on her face.
"There's no need Heather. You're our friend and we're practically family. We will always answer when you call for help." Astrid replied and placed a hand on Heather's shoulder then Hiccup nodded accordingly.
Heather waved at the Berserkers shepherding the heard of dragons into the stables. The dragons belonged to the combat division which was mentioned by Heather after the Edge was destroyed. They needed to arm themselves in case the dragon hunters threatened them and their allies. With danger in the horizon, armaments became Dagur and Heather's priorities these past few years.
As they walked through the village toward the Great Berserker Hall, Hiccup and Astrid asked how Heather was since they last saw her in Stoick's wake. The maiden Berserker informed that she was fine save for the previous incident with the dragon hunters. A frown formed on her face as she reminisced on her brother.
"Dagur's mood is not only affecting our relationship but also our tribe. One minute he's quiet and brooding then the next he seems like he wants to crush someone's skull with a mace. The latter almost happening several times." Heather winced as she stared at the Berserker Hall while Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other with concern in their expressions. "I know the stress of not knowing where Sleuther is nor where to even begin looking is getting to him, however I wish he realizes that there are those who are willing to help."
"We'll reach out to him Heather, we'll get through to him and help you two find Sleuther. Right Hiccup?" Astrid nudged Hiccup's elbow which made the one-legged rider agree.
"Thanks." Heather glanced to the side for a moment. "Dagur doesn't know that I asked you to come here. I'm not sure if he'll listen to a word we'll say."
"We'll get through this Heather. Together." Hiccup reassured then a loud crashing sound was heard from the Berserker Hall. Several Berserker men ran out of the building so fast like their life depended on it. It probably did.
This was to be expected from Dagur, Hiccup thought to himself. The Berserker had always been this crazy since as far back as he could remember. From being used as a knife target or drowned during bath time or in the beach, Hiccup did not bat an eye when Dagur took control of the Berserker tribe and was titled Deranged. Having his life threatened several times by Dagur was enough testament for Hiccup to know that instability coexisted with the Berserker. There were only a few times when Dagur showed signs of benevolence and non-derange-ness.
When Hiccup almost lost himself to despair because of Viggo and the dragon hunters, Dagur was there to rescue him and Toothless. His Night Fury even allowed Dagur to ride him and against all odds, saved Hiccup and earned his and Toothless' trust. Even when the Edge was destroyed, Dagur was there to give support just as much as Heather did.
Time after time, Dagur continued to serve an example of self-determination even when the rest of the world and himself thought otherwise. Both Dagur and Heather had changed so much, together and for the better.
Although, they still had a lot of differences. In terms of their personalities, Heather displayed more natural composure while Dagur still meditated just to calm himself. Secondly, Dagur and Heather looked nothing alike. One could almost mistake them as strangers to one another than loving siblings. Other than their green eyes, Berserker traits and bloodline, Heather and Dagur had very little in common. No doubt Heather's good-looks alone would be enough to turn heads in a room rather than Dagur's blood-lust mug.
The Berserker Hall stood high with a statue of a Skrill's bust hanging above the main entrance. The windows had Skrills decorated on the glass. Hiccup gulped at the imposing structure which he thought signified the Berserker people's long history before Oswald came into power. The design was no doubt encouraged by Dagur to maintain a menacing atmosphere.
Upon entering the hall, large statues of chiefs past stood in rows across the room leading up to a red-headed figure whose purple cape depicted as one would guess, another Skrill insignia. Dagur had his back turned to them while his arms rested on the table.
"Dagur." Heather called out with a hint of anxiety in her voice. "You have visitors."
A deep sigh escaped her brother before his shoulders slumped. "For the last time Heather, I'm busy and don't want to be disturbed. Tell One-legged Boris and his boyfriend that I will attend to their problems once I've finished with my business."
Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other confusedly for a second before a knowing smile appeared on Astrid's face.
"Last time I checked Hiccup isn't One-legged Boris," Astrid crossed her arms and answered which startled the Berserker. "One-legged, he may be but Boris- I don't think so." She added before the Berserker chief quickly turned around to face them.
It had been a while since Hiccup last saw Dagur because the person standing right in front of him did not look like the man who visited his father's wake. Dagur's appearance had changed since Hiccup last saw him. The red-headed Berserker's hair was no longer shaved to the sides and appear as if he had been tearing them off with his fingers. Dagur's hair grew on the sides and cut short just enough to have the top pointing up to the front. The hairs on Dagur's cheeks had also grew from a light bush to a grown man's beard. It was nowhere as long as Stoick's but the hairs sat well on his skin and exemplified his manly looks.
Similarly to Heather, Dagur wore Skrill insignia throughout his clothes but slightly more pronounced than his sister's. The robust Skrill shoulder pads and belt buckle were tasteful accessories for the chief of the Berserkers. Much like Heather's armor, Dagur wore Razorwhip scales on his arms due to their lightness and durability. Overall, Dagur's new appearance made Hiccup take back what he thought about the Berserker earlier. With slight adjustments, Dagur cleaned up pretty well.
"Hiccup?" Dagur asked, almost gob smacked. It took a short moment for him to register that the metal stump he heard earlier was none other than the new chief of Berk.
"Hello Dagur, you-," Hiccup was about to comment regarding Dagur's new appearance when the Berserker lunged forward and gave him a tight hug.
"It's so good to see you! How've you been?" Dagur let go then firmly grasped Hiccup's arms which were scrawny in comparison to his muscular ones.
"I'm well…thanks for asking." Hiccup replied with a nervous chuckle. Even after all this time, he struggled to grasp Dagur's mood changes.
"And I see you've brought Astrid eh?" Dagur glanced over to Astrid who smirked at him.
"Fortunately for you, we didn't bring the Greek chorus." Astrid gestured asterixis with her fingers.
"Yes! The other dragon riders! How're the twins and Snothat? I'd ask about Fishlegs but I'm sure his terror mails to Heather have been self-explanatory." Dagur gestured at Heather who had anger in her expression.
"I told you to stop reading my letters!" Heather pointedly said to her brother.
"I believe it's the chief's duty to monitor all mail exchanges between the Berserker Island and other parts of the archipelago for the safety of his people." Dagur raised an eyebrow which made Heather grit her teeth.
"My personal life with Fishlegs has nothing to do with our tribe!" Heather stated but Dagur simply crossed arms and rolled his eyes.
"I believe it does." Dagur chuckled softly to himself then turned back to Hiccup. "Speaking of chiefly duties- how are you keeping up with yours brother?"
Before Hiccup could answer, Astrid interjected. "Hiccup's been a great chief. I think I'm speaking on behalf of everyone at Berk and its dragons that Hiccup not only lives up to his father but so much more. We are very grateful to have him as our chief."
Suddenly everyone in the room could hear sniffing as Dagur began to choke up with tears in his eyes.
"That's so touching?" Dagur mumbled then turned to his sister. "Why can't you be more like that Heatherkins?"
Heather simply narrowed her glare then growled out, "Because you invade my privacy and call me Heatherkins! I told you not to call me that!" She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. The sounds of sniffing eventually died down when Dagur composed himself.
"I'm glad to hear that brother." Dagur placed a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "I know I have more experience being a chief and all since I've been doing it in our teens, but I always believed in that one day, you and I will have the same title. And here we are." Dagur flashed a wide grin at Hiccup before winking at him flirtingly.
"Thanks. Uhh…" Hiccup nervously tried to gather what to say next when Astrid intervened again.
"With that out of the way, let's talk more about yourself Dagur." Astrid grabbed their attention. "Pretty impressed with what you've done with the place, but I heard that you've got some problems with dragon hunters."
Quickly, Dagur's expression changed to shock as he glanced toward Heather. "You told them?" He gestured at both Hiccup and Astrid. "Is that why they're here? Because you told them about what happened?" With teeth gritted and narrowed eyes, Dagur spouted angrily at his sister.
"I didn't know what else to do." Heather defended, gradually a sad frown appeared on her face.
"You could've not told them! I told you that I don't want their help."
Heather spat out, "Just because you don't want it doesn't mean you don't need it! We'll be able to find Sleuther sooner with their help! And besides, they didn't come all this way if they didn't want to."
"I can't believe you went behind my back Heather. Siblings are not supposed to turn on each other! We did before but I thought we were past that!" Dagur stepped forward to challenge Heather's glare.
"We're family Dagur, which means I won't let you get crushed by guilt and be worried sick for Sleuther anymore. I know what it's like losing your dragon, I've almost lost Windshear to the dragon hunters a few times already. You don't have to go through it alone." Heather placed a consoling hand on Dagur's shoulder which was shrugged off momentarily.
"If I needed your help, I would ask for it. It was my fault that Sleuther was captured which makes it my responsibility. I'll find him by myself and that's final." Dagur commanded which made Heather clench her fists and raise it up. Dagur's posture braced itself for a punch when suddenly, Heather rolled her eyes and cried out angrily. She kicked the large table beside Dagur before storming off.
Dagur turned away from her, arms crossed, and expression filled with resolve. Astrid and Hiccup exchanged worried looks at each other before glancing at the main door which Heather slammed shut. The sound reverberated throughout the large room until there was tense silence.
Astrid approached Hiccup to whisper in his ear, "I'll go talk to Heather while you try talk some sense into Dagur."
"I'll try." Hiccup whispered and glanced over the red-headed Berserker who had his arms resting on the table.
"Good luck." Astrid whispered to Hiccup one last time before giving him a kiss on the cheek. It warmed Hiccup's cheeks which were pink for a moment before watching Astrid walk out of the hall. When the door was shut, Hiccup turned to the brooding Berserker.
"Dagur, why are you being like this?" Hiccup asked taking one step closer to Dagur.
"It's none of your business Hiccup. You have your problems and I have mine. I don't want you to go out of your way just to help me." Dagur muttered with a discouraged tone in his voice. Though Dagur would never outwardly say it, he was going through so much.
"But it is my business, our business. You remember that it was me who taught you how to ride a dragon. You're a dragon rider now Dagur, one of us, which means that Sleuther being captured by the dragon hunters is our responsibility." Hiccup stepped closer until he was beside the table where maps and scrolls were scattered on the surface.
"That may be so, but I can't Hiccup. I just can't accept your help." Dagur answered firmly.
"Why not?" Hiccup leaned closer to meet the red-head's gaze.
"Because- just drop it, alright?"
"Dagur-,"
"I said just drop it!" Dagur's yell echoed throughout the room right into Hiccup's very core.
With a moment of silence, clenched fists and narrow eyes, Hiccup stepped away from the Berserker.
"I thought that, after all we've been through, you'd see us as your allies. I thought after trying so hard to earn our trust and working together to stop the dragon hunters, you'd realize that we're your friends." Hiccup stomped toward the door for only a few steps before turning to his side. "Now I see how very little we mean to you. How I mean to you as a friend…"
Hiccup grimaced at the pang of disappointment in his chest before turning back to the door. Before he could take another step, Dagur called out to him.
"Hiccup wait!"
The dragon rider turned around to face the Berserker who was teary eyed and frowning.
"You do mean a lot to me." Dagur pointed at his chest. "You and Heather, you two mean so much to me. And I see the others as my friends. Believe me."
"Then why are you being so stubborn? You know that Heather is right. With our help, we'll be able to use our resources to find the dragon hunters and Sleuther." Hiccup stated with fists clenched on his sides. "You say that we mean so much to you yet you're clearly pushing us away. What gives? Tell me why?"
"Hiccup I can't!" Dagur answered reluctantly.
"Why not?" Hiccup stomped forward only a few steps away from Dagur.
"Because it's too dangerous!" Dagur cried out then threw the papers and scrolls off the table. A shock of silence covered the room until every single page landed on the floor.
"Dangerous? What do you mean by dangerous?" Hiccup asked to cancel the silence. A defeated sigh left Dagur but he didn't answer.
"Is something going on Dagur?" Hiccup questioned as he crept behind the Berserker.
"I-," Dagur paused to clear his throat then looked around to see if they were alone. "Can I trust you to keep a secret Hiccup?" The Berserker asked when he realized that they were alone before turning around to face Hiccup.
"Of course. What's the matter?"
Again, Dagur looked around for a moment, his face filled with worry about something.
"Hiccup, I really really need you to keep this between the two of us otherwise Sleuther will be in grave danger." Dagur stepped closer and almost too close to Hiccup's comfort.
"What is it? Tell me what's going on." Hiccup demanded, and the red-headed Berserker conceded with a sigh.
"I have a lead on where Sleuther is." Dagur replied which made Hiccup's brows go up with surprise.
"How?" Hiccup asked and leaned his hips on the table.
"While searching for clues in the Northern Markets, I noticed someone wearing a hooded cape following me. Typical huh?" Dagur's eyes rolled. "When they caught my attention, I was led in an alleyway where they handed me this letter. It's from Trader Johann."
Dagur reached behind and pulled out a scroll tied with a red string. "Trader Johann?" Hiccup gawked at the news before Dagur handed him the letter.
Hiccup untied the red string then opened the scroll.
Dagur,
I know you must be worried sick for your Triple Stryke dragon. Not to worry, we'll give him back as soon as you give us something in return.
Much like the one your sister had, your tribe has another dragon eye lens hidden somewhere which only the chief knows. If you give the dragon eye lens to me, I will set your dragon free.
However, if you seek help from Hiccup and his troublesome dragon riders, the deal is off, and you will never see your precious dragon again.
I will have eyes watching you and the dragon riders so don't even think of playing dirty.
Once you've decided, you'll know where to contact my messenger and he'll tell you the location of the exchange.
Don't keep me waiting Dagur, the longer you decide the longer your dragon is unfed.
Think fast and I'll be waiting,
Johann.
"He's holding Sleuther hostage. And another dragon eye lens- here?" Hiccup asked followed by a nod from Dagur.
"Since my father disappeared, he never got the chance to tell me the location of any dragon eye lens. So I went through the Berserker Hall's archives and found it." Dagur reached for another thing behind his belt and revealed a dragon eye lens covered in chrome black casing. "The Berserker tribe's dragon eye lens with the Skrill insignia. This is what Johann wants in exchange for Sleuther."
After Dagur said those words, Hiccup realized that trouble with the dragon hunters was far from over.
End of Chapter 1.