Chapter 2, A Brother's Return:
"Hurry up men!"
"Let's go, let's go!"
"Time's of the evidence!"
Everyone shouted as they raced out of the Great Hall.
"Someone took the chief's daughter!"
"We've got to find her!"
Hiccup's hands shook as he fumbled to put Toothless's saddle on while he listened to everyone barking about him. Toothless whined as he watched his rider. He knew something had happened to the Hiccup's female hatchling, and judging by Hiccup's reactions, it was bad.
As Hiccup fumbled about, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Gobber was standing behind him.
"Listen, lad, you need to sit this one out."
"Are you kidding me? My daughter's out there with some monster and you want me to sit it out?"
"Hiccup, you're too excited, you're not functioning. Besides, your wife, mother, and son need you."
"But I-"
"We'll find Annly, you make sure the rest of your family is okay."
"I don't wa-"
"Hiccup, you find the people who took Annly, you're going to do something stupid. You're too upset."
Hiccup glared at Gobber. "No. I'm going."
"One hour," Gobber continued. "Take one hour. Take care of your wife, and your mother and son, then you can come out."
"Why should I when my daughter's been kidnapped?"
"Hiccup, I was just there. Astrid is distraught, she was sobbing her lungs out. She needs you to be there. Let her know it's gonna be okay. And Valka wasn't doing too good either."
Hiccup fell silent. By now most everyone had taken off. Quiet overtook the island, except for the strangled sound of a woman's crying. Astrid's crying. Hiccup felt his heart ached for her.
"Go to your wife, Hiccup, we'll find your daughter," Gobber told him as he squeezed his shoulder and walked towards Grump. Hiccup nodded as he began to trek home. When he entered into the living room, her found Valka curled up with Cloudjumper in the middle of the floor.
"Oh, son," Valka cried as she ran to him, arms open to hold him close. "I'm so sorry! I saw them come in, I tried to stop them, but I wasn't fast enough!"
"It's okay, mom," Hiccup whispered as he held her close. "It's okay."
He let her go and slipped upstairs, Valka trailing behind him. Astrid was seated on the bed, Torinth held tightly in her arms. She rocked him back and forth, sobbing her eyes out.
Hiccup sat on the bed next to her, scooping her into his arms, Torinth held between them. He was still sleeping, and Hiccup was glad. He didn't need to see or hear this. Valka watched the young couple for a while, then sat behind them, enveloping both of them into her arms.
"I…I…I'm sorry, Hiccup," Astrid sniffled. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault."
Astrid shook her head. "I should have fought harder. I should have stopped them."
"You did the best you could."
"No I didn't! My poor little girl, she's only a baby!"
Hiccup stroked her hair as he watched over her and Torinth, still snoozing quietly.
"We'll find her. She'll be okay. We're gonna bring her home."
"How do you know?"
"I'm her father. I'm not going to let them take our baby girl away from us. I promise, Astrid. We'll get her back."
A knock came at the bedroom door. Hiccup turned to find Heather standing in the doorway, a hand resting on her oversized stomach.
"Are you guys okay?" she asked.
Hiccup shrugged. Heather waddled over to the couple and slowly sat down next to them.
"I'm so sorry," she said. "If there's anything Fishlegs and I can do, let us know."
"It's okay," Hiccup said. "You've got your own baby to look out for." He gestured to Heather's pregnant belly. Heather ran her hand of her nonexistent waistline.
"Yeah."
"You should probably stay here tonight, though, just to be safe incase they come back."
"Sure," Heather nodded, slipping an arm around sniffling Astrid's shoulders.
Hiccup waited until Astrid had cried herself to sleep to say or move again. Heather had also drifted off. Not that he blamed her. She was due to give birth any day now. Hiccup scooped Astrid into his arms, Torinth still held against her chest, and laid her on her side of the bed. He covered her and their son up with the blanket, Valka watching them, still seated on his side of the bed.
"I'm going out there," Hiccup said. "Watch out for them, won't you."
"Of course, I won't let anything happen to them too," valka promised as she pulled out a dagger Astrid kept hidden behind the bed and set it in her lap. Hiccup smiled in thanks, and headed outside. Toothless followed him out, still whining for little Annly. Hiccup began setting the saddle back on Toothless, when the Night Fury cawed excitedly as he poked his nose in the air.
Hiccup turned to look at where his companion was looking at. A sky blue Terrible Terror was flying towards them with a pretty large scroll in his claw. Hiccup felt his hands clinch into fists. What was this? Another note from Viggo? If anything had happened to Annly!
Hiccup snatched the note out of the Terror's claw and began reading.
Hello, brother, its me, Dagur.
Hiccup gasped and kept reading.
I know you're surprised to hear from me, and to be honest, it's a long story. Let's just say I was taken captive after Shattermaster and I, oh yeah, he's okay too. Anyways, I got away a few years ago, but have been keeping a low profile so I could keep an I on Viggo without drawing anyone else into danger. I knew Viggo hadn't given up when you defeated him, so I want to make sure he wouldn't came after you and Heather. It worked for a while, but it's getting harder now. He's building himself back up. But that's not why I'm writing you. I want you to know I have your daughter.
Hiccup gasped again. "Annly?" he frantically read the rest of the note.
I was spying on some scouts and overheard that they'd taken her from you. So I cut away the saddlebag they were keeping her in and brought her back to my camp. She's okay. Her left arm got cut by a cord that got caught to tight around her, but it was nothing Uncle Dagur couldn't fix up! Other than that she's fine.
Those scouts will be trying to find us for the rest of the night, so I'm going to keep her with me until morning, then I'll fly to Berk to give her back. Tell Astrid (I'm assuming that's her mother. Must be. She looks just like her with brown hair. Or is it auburn? I could never figure that out). Anyways, tell her that your daughter is okay, and don't worry. Uncle Dagur will take good care of her.
Tell Heather I said hi!
Dagur.
Hiccup raced back inside and got a piece of paper. He wrote a quick note and gave it to the Terror. He gave the smaller dragon a few minutes head start, then followed after them.
