Love Amongst the Dragons
Hello, Stigmergy here and before you ask, yes I got the title from Avatar: the last Airbender. Why? because I am an unoriginal hack and it's tentative give me a break. Anyway, as the description says this was prompted by Kagura111's challenge on AO3. I hope I will do it justice and that it will entertain. Moving on I in know way shape or form own HTTYD yada, yada, yada.
AND without further adieu Love Amongst the Dragons (alternate title: No Stigmergy you cannot write "tingling flesh")
Prologue
"You're not going anywhere, Astrid" A familiar voice hardened in anger sounds from the door.
Astrid whips around and, in a calm voice masking her hurt and anger, replies. "Maybe not. But I'm really going to enjoy this." A spear clasped in her hands, its sharp point glinting menacingly. 'Gods dammit! I think it's about time Ruff and Tuff get reacquainted with the butt of my axe.'
"Oh, I doubt that." Heather straightens up cockily flipping open her axe.
Astrid's eyes follow the movement and she takes a moment to admire the weapon, the blades shining unevenly from their rough and jagged texture. She notes that they glint the same way her armor, so unlike Heather's eyes, which shine like a deep glass basin. . .anyway. It would have taken a great deal of skill to forge that weapon, it would take a great deal of skill to wield that weapon. A wave of pride for her friend quickly invades her mind followed quickly by a pang of loss.
The slam of the cell door abruptly brings her back to her senses. Anger and a controlled sense of fear are there to welcome her back to reality because while she knows she could beat Heather, she also knows her spear is no match for the brunette's axe.
'Heather won't kill me, would she?' Astrid's not so sure now, Heather has proven herself to be quite the surprise, which, before now, Astrid didn't mind. She didn't mind when Heather proved herself to be a kind and true friend all those years ago and she didn't mind when they met again and Heather was more. . .edgy, but this she did mind. This betrayal, this side of Heather she couldn't account for, she didn't like.
Heather makes no other move toward her, Astrid is sick of waiting. She makes the charge, footwork skilled and silent. The shafts of their weapons clash with a soft thunk. Expecting this, Astrid attacks again, and again, Heather only parries fueling Astrid's anger. Evidently having had enough of this barrage, Heather brings down a head of her axe on to the spear shattering the weapon and positions the her axe right in front of Astrid's neck.
"Enough." Heather's voice is soft as she gives the command. Her light green eyes flash in anger, Astrid holds her eyes with a glare. 'She does have really pretty eyes-NOT THE TIME'. Heather's eyes flick away for a moment as Stormfly lets out a threatening sound from the other side of the cell. Irrationally, Astrid feels heavy at the loss of eye contact, but in no time at all Heather's eyes are back on hers this time her expression unreadable.
Heather advances slowly, teasingly, and Astrid is forced to meet her step by step. A feat not made easier by the fact that the two are still locked in in each other's stares. The jagged blade sometimes scraping the soft skin at her neck, it sent shivers down her spine, acting as a reminder to move.
Astrid's head made contact with the long paneled wall of the cell bringing back the fear she had been feeling earlier back tenfold. 'This is it, this is where I die. Heather is going to kill me.' She shifts her head up so she is looking up at the ceiling, no longer wishing to look into the eyes of her friend-she still thought of those eyes as belonging to a friend, not the enemy standing before her-as she killed her. She will not close her eyes or cry, she will not beg, she is not a child or a coward. Astrid Hofferson is a dragon rider and a fearsome warrior in her own right, she will face her death with her chin held high. With her steely resolve, she felt the rim of the axe lift from her neck and knew the fatal blow would soon follow.
But the strike did not come. Instead, a warm hand, calloused along the edges but otherwise smooth, firmly gripped the side of her face, followed closely by a soft pair of lips. The kiss certainly did not lack enthusiasm and, though she was pressed against the wall, Astrid gave as much as she got, albeit slowly at first. As soon as Heather's lips were on hers, Astrid's mind filled with a pleasant sort of fog. The fog was so dense she barely could barely hear the clang of Heather's axe hitting the floor and she definitely did not have the peace of mind to reciprocate. It wasn't until Heather's other hand came to clasp at her side that she remembered to respond. It was like a switch went off in her brain and, with her hands knotting in Heather's raven hair, her lips worked feverishly. They kissed for quite some time, it was when they were both so thoroughly starved for breath that they could no longer properly kiss that they broke apart.
Panting heavily, their breath mingled and their noses brushed as the space between them was still marginal. Astrid's hands still clutched tightly to the hair at the base of Heather's head and her eyes roamed the brunette's flushed face, lips pink and puffy, cheeks flushed and she had a few errant strands of raven hair stuck on the left side of her face, her eyes surprisingly dark causing Astrid's stomach to clench. Heather seemingly unwittingly teasing Astrid by absentmindedly stroking her. She could feel a thumb tracing the rim of her jaw, coming up the swell of her chin to ghost over her lips. She could feel a hand skimming up her spinal column, coming back down to rest at the dip of her back. Astrid is mesmerized and while her breathing is slowing, her heart is racing on.
The spell was broken by a scraping noise from the other side of the room, Stormfly shifting in her chains. Then Astrid remembered, this is Heather the enemy. Heather who betrayed all of them, it didn't matter what she may or may not feel. She couldn't afford this, her friends couldn't afford this. Astrid tensed in Heather's arms, moving her hands to the metal plated shoulders and pushing hard, a large amount of space separated the two now. With her mind racing and gearing for an attack she hastily thought 'She doesn't have her axe now, I have the upper hand. I'll incapacitate her then I'll make my escape. Meet up with Hiccup and Snotlout and then go back for the others.'
Astrid throws a punch, expecting this Heather grabbed her wrist and quickly made for the other. Tightly gripping Astrid's fists in front of her Heather momentarily halted Astrid's attack. They sought each other's eyes again, Astrid's possessing a look of defiant anger. By contrast, the look on Heather's face was more pained than anything else.
"Listen to me, listen to me" she pleaded urgently a hint of exasperation coloring her voice. "We haven't got much time, I'm going to need to bring you Rykor in a little bit." This caused the anger Astrid's anger to spike. "You know I can't just let you go."
"It's not about what you'd let me do" Astrid growled attempting to wrench her wrists out from Heather's grip. Her face paling, Heather's grip did not slacken "I didn't take your orders even when we were friends."
Heather's jaw tightened. "I wasn't aware we ever stopped." This elicited a cruel laugh from Astrid.
"Oh come on Heather you're not that stupid, how could we possibly still be friends" Astrid sneered "I trust my friends and I don't trust you, you traitor."
That seemed to put some of the color back in Heather's face. "I never betrayed you." ignoring Astrid's disbelieving scoff Heather continued. "No really, that's what I've been trying to say. I am here to get intel on the Dragon Hunters to get information for you. . .and the other dragon riders." Heather could tell Astrid still didn't believe her. Letting out a huff of frustration she released Astrid's wrists. "Look, do you really believe I would join Dagur? I don't care if he is really my brother" Heather spit out the last word with such a ferocious look that even a the most fearsome dragon would cower in fright. "It doesn't change the fact that he attacked me village and killed the only parents I've ever known, and, and. . ." She was losing her ferocity "and he may have even killed our father." Heather looked down her eyes swimming in tears "Do you think I would betray you guys? That I would betray the dragons for him? For Rykor? No."
Astrid forgot her anger less then half way through Heather's tirade, it was replaced by shame and sadness. Her heart strained against its confines as it begged her to reach out and comfort the girl. A comforting hand reached up to clasp Heather's upper arm. Heather flinching away at the gentle touch, but, all the same, lifting her head to smile weakly at her friend. Astrid's responding smile was a lot more robust and warm, her hand traveling down Heather's arm to her soft hand giving it a comforting squeeze.
"Well when you put it like that, I guess it does seem kind of silly" Astrid said haltingly, Heather beamed, tear tracks marked her cheeks. Astrid wiped away at the smears, lingering at Heather's cheeks longer than she probably had to. "Okay, let's go up to Rykor but first. . .when we do escape, which we will, please write. . .for, uh, intelligence purposes." Astrid blushed.
"Yeah, of course. I was planning on letting you know soon but, uh, then, uh, you know. . .Just don't tell Hiccup or the others." Astrid looked at her questioningly. "I mean, Astrid, you know Hiccup, he would do something stupid but well intentioned not wanting me to risk myself." Astrid had to agree with this. "Should we go?"
"Just a second" With that Astrid pulled Heather in for another kiss. This one was considerably shorter than the last. One of Astrid's hands still clasping Heather's and the other came to rest at the base of her head. Heather barely had time to rest her free hand on Astrid's side when the Blonde girl pulled away. "Now we can go."
Love me, hate me, sock me in the face
I know it's not perfect but. . .what can you do
Oh I don't know? Be better
. . .No