Dragons race to the edge the Dagur /Hiccup version
Hello, this is my first try to write a fanfic in English. Its not my native tounge, so there will be sure a lot of grammar errors.
Its my version of "Dragon eye of the beholder", and some other chapters where Dagur is involved. What if the three years in Outcast prison changed Dagur already then and not after he fled the dragon hunters? Warning: can contain a bit mild M/M, later more.
Dragon eye of the beholder part 1
The story begins like the original with three years passed since the last encounter with Dagur on Outcast island. Since then the Berserker chief was in Outcast prison and under Alwins keep. Three long years-then he find a way to escape the hated prison.
"I wonder what has become of you, brother." Dagur grinned, as he saw the Outcast island vanish in the fog.
On Berk a lot of things have changed. So have the dragon riders. They all grew nearly up, Hiccup has become a young man at the age of eighteen.
He still dreams of discovering new dragon species, but there were no new ones find and Astrid told him, that maybe there was nothing more to discover.
Their thoughts were interrupted when the twins brought Trader Johann to Berk, when they find him on a piece of driftwood out in the ocean. Johann tells Hiccup and the others that Dagur has escaped prison and seized his ship. And that he want to steal all his wealth that he has stored at the old shipyard.
The gang wanted to go after Dagur, but Hiccup decided for himself that he wanted to go alone. He don't wanted to risk some of his friends life, he knew how dangerous Dagur was. And one person –and a dragon were able to hide much easier than a whole group.
So Hiccup and Toothless left Berk in the night and flew to the ship graveyard to look for the Reaper, a mysterious ship Trader Johann told him about.
Hiccup and Toothless explored the reaper, avoided some nasty Traps and in the Captains cabin they found a mysterious artifact, a tube with a stilysized dragon head in front.
"I wonder what this is…." he murmured.
And here my story begins.
Hiccup and Toothless had just ascended to the upper deck, when they spotted a familiar figure.
"Dagur!" Hiccup gasped. He hardly recognized the grown-up man before him. Clothed only in rugs, his hair ragged and his face scarred.
But before he and Toothless could react further-a snakelike black-yellow striped shadow soared in Hiccups direction, followed by a second-and a third!
"Giant eels!" shrieked Hiccup. In the next moment one of the long, snake-like fishes has bitten in his wrist and the boy staggered backwards form the impact of the trashing beast, hit the railing –and went overboard! Toothless roars in pain and fear-as the two other eels bite him several times into his legs, wings and his tail. ´He lost his balance and fell to the side, unable to get up fast enough again. Searing pain shot through his body.
Suddenly two daggers came whizzing through the air and pinned the eels on the deck, right behind their heads. Another eel who was able to jump out of the water on the deck of the Thanatos, got sliced in two by a sword. Toothless could only see a red haired shadow racing past him and leaping off board into the water! He tried to get to his feet again, but failed. He let out a whimper-who will save his rider now?
Hiccup was able to drive the eel away which has bitten his arm by stabbing the beast with his hunting knife. But he was slowly getting out of air and tried to get to the surface. But suddenly his right leg was grabbed by a tight winding and pulled him back to the ground again! Hiccup looked down and his eyes went wide in horror! An eel three times as big as the others, had his leg in his powerful coiled grip and don't want to let him go!
"Oh no! I will drown, if I am not able to free myself! And Toothless can´t help me he is afraid of eels!" Hiccup thought. The other eels have backed away at the sight of this big one.
The big eel fixed his prey with his cold eyes, his mouth with the sharp teeth ready to strike-when suddenly the snake-like body was torn away from Hiccup. The next moment someone was fighting the monstrous eel off.
"Dagur!"
Hiccup couldn't belive his eyes. It was the Berserk chief who are now attacking the beast with one of his daggers! He had grabbed the eel by one of his fins and stabbed the fish multiple times near the head and in his body. Blood started to seep in the water, Hiccup was trying to get his captured leg free, but his movements got slower and slower the more he got out of air.
Finally the eel let go of Hiccups leg and the convulsing body of the beast sank slowly to the ground.
Dagur looked around for Hiccup and found him floating lifeless around. The Berserks eyes widened in fear. He grabbed the limp body and swam to the surface as fast as he could.
"Quick! Pull them out!" Savage, Dagurs second in command shouted, as the Berserk chief broke through the surface. In the right arm he held the limp form of Hiccup to his body. A rope was thrown into the water, Dagur grabbed it and was pulled back on the ship.
Coughing he sank to the planks and looked at the boy.
"Brother?" Dagur nudged him lightly.
But Hiccup still hung limp and lifeless in his arms.
"Hiccup! Brother!" Dagur shouted and shook him. He started to panic, when Hiccup gave no signs of life and did not breathe.
"You must get the water out of him he has swallowed!" Savage told him.
"Yeah! Right!" nodded the Berserk chief, who came to his wits again. He laid Hiccup on the planks and began to press his Hands rhythmically and as careful as he could against his chest. "Come on…come on! Breathe! Don't let me down!"
Suddenly Hiccup began to cough and throw up Water. Dagur quickly turned him around so that he could better get rid of all the saltwater he swallowed.
"That's okay! Breathe deep and slowly. Good boy."
When no water came out anymore, the Berserk turned him around and looked in his face. Hiccups eyes were half-lidded, but focused.
"Hiccup, thank Thor, I thought I had lost you, brother!" Dagur sighed.
"I´m not your bro…" the last part was left unspoken, Hiccup body went again limp in the Berserks arms.
"He has lost his consciousness. He needs warmth and dry clothes. I take him into my cabin, you look for the dragon, Savage."
"Aye, chief." the second in command nodded.
When Hiccup opend his eyes again, he found himself lying in a bed. A soft woolen blanked and some furs were draped over him. He let his eyes wander and spotted Dagur who was standing before a table, looking at something. He couldn't see at what, but then he recognized his bag near him on the table, it contents spilled out over the plate.
Hiccup started to move, but then he realized that his peg leg was missing. His clothes too. Who stripped him?
"What in Thors Name.. where are my clothes?" he groaned and sat up. Dagur heard it and turned around. In his right Hand he held the Artifact! The artifact he decided to name "Dragon Eye", when he and Toothless made their way back to the deck of the Reaper.
"Hello, Brother! Finally in the land of the living again?"
"Wha-the Dragon eye!" Hiccup shouted and without warning he leaped of the bed. But he forgot that he was entangled in the blanked, so he fell in a heap with the crumbled blanket on the floor. "Give it back, Dagur!" he shouted and tried to get stand on his foot again.
"Easy, Hiccup. Let me help you-WOAH! Calm down, Brother!"
When Dagur reached for his arm and grabbed it to pull Hiccup up, the boy suddenly jumped up and grabbed for the Berserks arms, trying to wrestle the artefact from his Hand!
"Give it back! You don't know the worth of it! You will break it! I will not allow taking it from me and using it for your conquering plans!" Hiccup roared.
"Hey! I am only looking at it! I will not break it! –Hiccup! Stop struggling!" Dagur grumbled and put the Dragon eye back behind him on the table, before he accidently could drop it. Then he got a hold at Hiccups arms to stop the boy from wriggling and trashing around. When he saw the enraged face of the Hooligan heir, a sad look crossed his features. Did he hate him so much? Well, he sure had some reasons…
"Hiccup! Calm down! I saved your life! Don't panic! I will not hurt you or your dragon!" Dagur said in a calm voice. Finally the boy struggles became weaker and his eyes closed again. His leg gave in and the body of the younger male got limp again.
"Stupid boy! You need to rest and not trash around like a –Berserk? Heh, wanted to go berserk, little one?-Errhm…well, better I put you in the bed again."
Dagur picked up the limp form of Hiccups body and tucked him back in his bed.
"You should be more thankful, I saved you from this monster eel and you shot me this hated look and fought like you wanted to kill me! I hope you will be more peaceful when you are okay again." he grumbled. The berserker stood some time near the bed and observed the teen. Thor he has grown into a good-looking fine young man. Still scrawny, but his face was now more handsome than before three years when he saw him the last time. When the boy was still fifteen, Dagur always saw him a bit as "ugly duckling". But now…
There was a knock on the door.
"Yes?"
The door open and Savage stood in the entrance. "I have treated the wounds of the dragon. He growled a lot and tried to bite me, but because of the eel poison he is too weak to attack. I muzzled him for our own safety." he said.
"Good. Keep an eye on the Nightfury. I will watch the boy. Set sail to the next island, I want to leave this creepy place as fast as possible."
"Yes, chief." Savage nodded and closed the door. Dagur could hear him shouting orders and a few moments later he felt the ship moving through the waves.
"Uuuh…. Oh Thor! How long was I out?" Hiccup groaned when he woke up again. He was alone in the cabin, no sign of Dagur.
"Dragondung! I must have got unconscious again when I fought Dagur!" Hiccup grumbled. Then he spotted the plate near the bed. A piece of bread, some smoked fish and an apple lay on it. A cup of water stands next to the dish. And on purpose his stomach began to rumble.
"Uh-I am very hungry. And the food is not poisoned, I think." Hiccup murmured and took the plate in his lap. While he ate, he scanned the cabin. The Hooligans clothes and prostethic were lying over a chair at a corner on the other side of the room. But where was his bag? And the Dragon eye? And Toothless? What happened to him? He started to eat faster.
When the Hooligan has finished his meal and wanted to get up to get his clothes, the door went open and Dagur got in. Behind him two of his men carried a large wooden tub filled with steaming water.
"Okay, put it here. –Good." ordered the berserk chief.
The two berserks then left the cabin and closed the door.
"Oh you are awake, brother. Feeling better? I saw you have eaten what I have prepared for you. Good boy." Dagur smiled.
"Where is Toothless?" growled Hiccup and turned to sit at the edge of the bed.
"Got a few nasty bites from this big eels, but Savage is looking over him and tended the injuries. Don't worry, he will soon be okay again. The poison from this water snakes is not dangerous.-Sneaky little things, aren't they? They even jump on boats to get their prey. But the Nightfury was a bit too much for them. He blasted them to Hel before he got unconscious." Dagur told his guest.
"And where is my bag? And the Dragon Eye?"
"Stored in a safe place." Dagur smiled and pointed to a big wooden chest. "Nothing to worry about."
"Why are you doing this?" Hiccup growled.
"What? Saving your life? Let my Second look for your dragon and ordering him to tend his injuries?"
"Yeah. Last time you tried more than one time to kill Toothless and me!"
"That was three years ago."
"Right. And I think there must be a lot of hate in you against us!"
"These three years in Alwins prison-gave me a lot to think. To think-why you not even one time visited me!-No, nonono, bad joke, okay. Alwin don't allow visitors."
Dagur walked to the bed and sat on the edge.
"Ewww, you reek!" grumbled Hiccup and scrunched his nose. "Like Gobber, when he diddnt wash for months!"
"Still did not get the time to take a bath. But look, we have moored near an island to fetch fresh water." Dagur said and pointed to the tub.
"Then go take bath finally! –But first get me my clothes and my peg leg back! And my bag with the dragon eye! And then I want to take a look at Toothless!"
"Deal. But I give you the Dragon eye how you called it back later." the berserker grinned and laid Hiccups clothing on the bed. The boy began dress himself, while Dagur took off his belt. After putting his peg leg on he walked towards Dagur.
"Finally I can get rid of this old rugs! They are nearly falling apart!" grumbled Dagur and handed Hiccup a dirty rug, that was once had been a leather shirt. The boy scrunched his nose, picked it with his fingertips and threw it in an empty crate. The rest of the clothing followed, except the boots.
"Finally!" Dagur sighed as he got rid of his last piece of garment. Hiccup averted his look and stared in the opposite direction. A light pink shade covered his cheeks.
"Hey, whats up, Brother? Never saw other boys without any clothes? By the way, you still have these cute freckles nearly all over your body. You are still scrawny, but nevertheless a handsome cutie."
Now Hiccups face flushed totally red.
"So you stripped me down bare? I tell you-If you had done something stupid while I was out, I kill you!" he screamed angry.
"Woah, woah! I did nothing! I may be deranged sometimes- but I am not such a bastard! I would never dare to lay a hand on you! Can you imagine what your father would do to me, if I would? So no reason for a panic! Heh, you are still a virgin."
"Arrgh! Dagur!"
The young Hoolingan was total embarrassed now.
"Calm down, Brother." Dagur smiled as he climbed into the tub. Now Hiccup finally dared to turn around again to catch a look at his broad shoulders and back.
"By Thor…where did you get all this scars?"
"Well-they are one of a few reasons why I don't wanted to stay longer in prison! The bad food and the stench… -and the permanently lamenting other occupants! It was going on my nerves! And I swear, if I have stayed longer there, I would have been dead!" Dagur growled as he begun to wash himself.
Hiccup stayed silent. He did not know how long Alwin has planned for Dagur to stay imprisoned. But he knows the former outcast could be very unforgiving sometimes, especially when a much younger so-called-chief tricked and nearly killed him.
Dagurs Voice waked him out of his musing.
"Come, Brother. I have saved your life, now you can give me a good back scrub in return." the berserker grinned and handed Hiccup a sponge and soap. "And don't forget the hair."
"Okay. At least you will not contamine the whole cabin with your reek." grumbled the boy and started scrubbing the dirt and grime of the berserkers skin. "Great Thor, when did you bathe the last time?"
"Tch-do you think Alwin gave me and the other prisoners enough water to wash ourselves?
Hiccup shook his head.
"I am finished."
"Okay, thanks, Brother." smiled Dagur and climbed out of the water. "Would you hand me this sheet-thanks."
After the Berserker has dried himself up he went to a chest and opend it.
"Good. Savage thought of it."
He pulled some parts of an armour and some clean clothes out. Then he started dressing himself.
"Much better! It's a good feeling to be clean again!" Dagur sighed.
"Can I see my dragon now?" asked Hiccup impatiently.
"Okay, lets go. He has gotten a nice quiet place on the deck. None of my men disturb him there."
The Nightfury was settled at the hind part of the ship. Some crates and barrels were placed before the dragon to shield him from the sight of the working men. He had not his harness strapped on, it was placed in a crate in a corner near the Nightfury.
When Toothless heard the nearing footsteps, his ears twitched and he open his eyes. A weak sound escaped him.
"Toothless! Hey, how are you, bud?"
Hiccup kneeled in front of the Nightfury who lifted his head and bleared weakly. Then he saw the treated injuries.
"The poison has not wore off completely. But I think in one-two days he will be okay again. This damn eels had bitten him several times all over his body."
"Why is Toothless muzzled?"
"For our own safety. He may be get a bit angry and blast accidently a hole in some of my man or the ship. But if you can make him not to attack me or one of my men, you can remove the muzzle.-And you can try to give him something to eat. He refused to do it since he got bitten."
"I still wonder that you are treating him so good."
"If I would harm your precious Nightfury you would never forgive me this!" Dagur grumbled. "You would hate me and never speak a word to me again for sure! Your Nightfury is the most precious to you, right?-But think of it, you are not a dragon, you are a Viking!"
"What´s that supposed to mean? He is my first real friend! Before that the others of my age on Berk did always avoid or bullied me!"
"I see. Even Blondie?"
"Blondie?"
"Don't know the name of this fierce little Valkyrie riding the blue Nadder."
"That's Astrid!"
"You and her are a thing, yes?"
Again Hiccups face turned red.
"NO! We are only friends, good friends!" he said.
"Oh yeah. The way you cared for another. The fear you always have in your eyes, when she is in trouble..."
"Its none of your business!" Hiccup growled.
"Nevertheless-You are always choosing your dragon over me!" snapped Dagur. "On my first visit with my father to Berk after you were born I swore that I would watch like a big brother over you and that I would protect you! But you always ignored it! And now you had chosen this Nightfury to be something like your brother instead of me! I have never forgotten when I realized that you and your tribe made a fool of me! And you dared to talk about peace-with holding your biggest secret back! You hurt my feelings back on dragon island and you had the arrogance to tell me that I myself acted like a fool! Yeah, you are such an arrogant little brat when you have your night fury as backup! Without him you are nothing! Only a little wimp! You are not even able to defend yourself!"
"I can defend myself! Do you think all I have done over the last three years was flying and playing around with Toothless? –I think I understand what´s your problem, Dagur! You are jealous at Toothless!" Hiccup spat.
"Yes! Maybe I am! This dragon always prevents me from coming near you!-Here, you see? He tries again to attack me!"
The nightfury growled but was too weak to get up.
"Oh yeah? Have you forgotten that you one time nearly drowned me?! Real brothers behave other ways!" Hiccup shot back.
"I wanted to help you to get the attention of this blonde girl! Astrid! She saved you after all, right?"
"Great plan! I nearly died on that day! And how many times you wanted to kill Toothless? Or me?"
"You and your tribe shouldn´t have lied to me that day! So I wanted to make you pay for fooling me! But I would never really kill you! Even not in my derangeness! You are my Brother! But you deserved a punishment!"
"I am not your brother!"
"So this damn Dragon here is? Yeah?" Dagur pointed accused at Toothless, who growled and tried desperately to get up to protect his rider, but he was still too weak to stand on his legs. With a desperate bleat he sunk back to the planks.
"Yeah!-No! Not like you think! –I-I…ack, Dragondung! But have you forgotten how you treated me before I met Toothless? You throw your daggers at me! You made fun of me cause I was always so scrawny and small!"
Hiccup pulled his hair in frustration, Dagur sighed. Here we go again arguing, he thought. Should we part again in dispute, like always? No. Not this time, the berserker thought.
"Okay, this was a stupid plan with the near-drowning. And yes, I was not the best brother I should have been then. But berserkers are mostly rough types. I- I m sorry."
Hiccups eyes went wide.
"You are sorry? You apologized?" he murmurs, surprised.
"You think I am not able to do it? –But nevertheless, you and your father should not have kept the fact that you trained dragons as a secret from me and my tribe! Your and my father always shared important things! And you dared to held back important facts- after we hold such a long time peace! I thought, we earned Berks trust! But you still are seeing the raging monsters in us berserks! And you diddnt even give my tribe a chance! You wanted to sign the treaty as always and did not tell me that you have befriended dragons and riding them! You hold it for yourself!" shouted Dagur enraged. "Instead you made this little show letting me think, that the dragons attacked you! You made a fool of me! You tricked us! You lied to me! And I hate nothing more than lying! - Isnt it obvious, why I wanted to take revenge on Berk and fell back to my old habits?! Although you keep it secret from me- in the end our tribes have become enemies! If you had been more trustworthy and shared your knowledge, we could have had settled it in a peaceful way! I tell you, I would have tried! You have such a cunning brain! I expected more from you to solve this problem! But with your lie you have destroyed my trust in you and your tribe!"
"We had our reasons! Your ancestors used the Skrill to conquer other tribes! You were the ones who were not trustworthy!" Hiccup shot back. "My father told me a lot of stories about your tribe!"
"These are old stories! Could you not think that we might have-changed in some ways?"
Hiccup was silent.
"Old habits die hard… Father feared for the safety of Berk…" he murmurs. "And on your fist visit to Berk as new chief you diddnt behave like one! More like a spoiled brat!"
"I did?"
"Yeah! Its hard to trust such a person who still wants dragon blood for the sign of a peace treaty!"
Dagur kept silent for a moment to let Hiccups last words sink in.
"You really grow fond with this dragons. You like them. Even more than humans, it seems." he said then.
"Often dragons are better humans." Hiccup growled. "Look, we thought you would use the knowledge about befriending and training dragons against us! And other tribes!-Especially as you and not your father showed up the last time for signing the treaty! You were so arrogant and showed no lack of response or respect-for us nor for your decreased father! All you could think of was- who is the next dragon that I can kill! You always wanted to break things or hurt or kill living things-like you did it with your father!" snarled Hiccup.
"I diddnt kill my father!" Dagur suddenly hissed through clenched teeth, then in the next moment the boy could see that he did not wanted to say it out loud.
"What? Whats that supposed to mean?"
Dagur looked away.
"Dagur…tell me. What really happened?"
"He-he vanished someday four years ago….went with a small boat for a fishing trip…he never returned. I and Captain Vorg and some trusted men went out for a search, but we found no trace of him. Maybe a Dragon attack….or from an enemy… "And Vorg let the other Berserks know that it was me who killed him so I could be the next chief without questions. Otherwise a fight would have started among my tribe for the post of the next leader."
Hiccup was taken aback.
"Why did you not tell us? We had a treaty! My father and I could have helped you search for him! Taking the responsible job of a chief at such a young age… I am sure you did not even know exactly what it means to be a chief…"
Dagur hung his head, then he straighten himself again.
"Berserks did not beg for help…we have our pride…you know that."
"Yes..but its never a shame to ask someone for help…now I understand why you said that I am your brother back then at dragon island…you were lonely and wanted to have someone by your side, but you wasn't able to put down your old habits. I remember now the hurt look you had on your face when I rejected you. I diddnt know…I´m sorry now, Dagur."
"No need to be sorry. I am deranged maybe I deserved it."
"You deserved at least some help and advice. And-you have another side besides this derangeness. I know it."
"Hiccup-I..I.."
The hooligan heir looked Dagur in his eyes. They had changed. They did not show the hate, scowl or derangeness he always showed.
"We must try to find a way to lead you and your tribe on the right path… but you must accept some help. I tell you, its not a shame to take help. Even for a berserker. We must try to end this stupid feud that began three years ago."
End of part one.
to be continued…