Chapter Two:

"Neigh!" A large horse bellowed as it stampeded into New Berk's town square and stood on its hind legs.

"Isn't that Zephyr's horse?" a short man with a rather large helmet asked.

"Why is it alone?" A large burly man wondered out loud.

A crowd began forming around the frantic animal as it stomped at the ground.

"Let me through! Let me through!" a loud voice ordered. Astrid forced her way through the crowd and rushed to the horse's side, grabbing its reigns to calm it. This was indeed Zephyr's horse, but the young girl in question was nowhere to be seen.

Astrid's brow furrowed deeply. Why would her daughter's horse come back without her. The saddle bag was still in place, but open. Astrid reached in and pulled out a square of willow bark with a single word carved into it:

ROME.

"HICCUP!" Astrid shrieked as her stomach dropped.

"I'll get him," the short man from before said as he raced off. "Fish, get the horses ready."

"On it!" The larger man shouted as he raced to the stables.

The short man ran as fast as he could to Magda's house and all but busted the door down.

"Hiccup!" He shouted.

"Snotlout?" Hiccup asked as he stood up from where he's been watching Ivar sleep to make sure his breathing didn't stop.

"Come quick, something's happened to Zephyr."

Hiccup's face blanched as he followed after the smaller man. They ran to the town square where Astrid and Fishlegs were with five horses. Hiccup ran to his wife's side.

"Where's Zephyr?" He asked.

"I don't know!" Astrid exclaimed. "Her horse came back without her and this was in the saddlebag."

She passed the bark to Hiccup, who frowned. The Romans weren't due to visit for another month or so. Fearing what the note could imply, Hiccup all but jumped into his saddle and took off. Astrid, Snotlout, and Fishlegs followed after him.

They rode to the willow grove they knew Zephyr was going to. Something glinting in the sun caught Hiccup's eye. He jumped off his steed to investigate, and his heart stopped.

It was Zephyr's sword.

Fishlegs knelt down next to him and looked, eyes growing wide as he examined the imprints in the frozen, snowy grass.

"Looks like she fell here," he said. "Off the horse." Fishlegs stood up and began examine the area. Hiccup and Astrid watched him, hearts racing. Fishlegs shook his head.

"There were at least a dozen people here!" He exclaimed. "Surrounding this tree and...can I see that bark?"

Hiccup walked to Fishlegs, hands trembling as he passed the bark to him. Fishlegs held it up to a fresh cut on the tree. It was a perfect fit.

"Zephyr was definitely here." Fishlegs decided. "She must have been cutting the bark when the other people surrounded her."

Fishlegs looked back at the ground. "Looks like she tried to make a run for it." He mused as he followed the tracks. "She slid under her attackers here, ran to horse, got on it, began to ride away...but fell off for some reason."

"Maybe this?" Snotlout said as he picked up a small dart…

...from the wrong side. The dart pricked him in the palm and he collapsed unconscious to the ground.

"Yup. That probably did it!" Fishlegs nodded as he continued following the tracks. "They picked her up and…" his voice quavered as he pointed in the correct direction. "Carried her to the shore this way."

"Fishlegs go back to New Berk and tell them to ready the ships!" Hiccup ordered as he jumped back onto his horse. "Astrid, come with me!"

Astrid was already in her saddle and the two rode off. Fishlegs headed back to town, leaving Snotlout snoozing in the grass.

The frantic parents urged their horses as fast as they could go as they charged to the shore. But when they got there they found nothing. Nothing but the greatest imprint of a rowboat in the sand, proof there had once been a ship here. But now it was long gone.

"Zephyr!" Astrid screamed as she jumped from her horse and ran to the water line, squinting to try and spot a ship. "Zephyr!"

Hiccup put a shaking hand to his forehead as panic pumped through his veins.

"This doesn't make sense!" He whispered. "We've has nothing but peace...wha...why?"

"Zephyr!" Astrid screamed again, hands shaking. "ZEPHYR!"

At hearing his wife call their daughter's name he snapped back to reality.

"Astrid, come on," he called. "We need to get back to New Berk!"

"No!" Astrid shouted. "No, we have to find her! Zephyr!"

"They've already taken her to sea, we need to get to the ships!" Hiccup shouted. "Come on!"

Astrid just stood there, shaking, staring into the ocean. "Ze...Zephyr…"

Hiccup slipped out of the saddle and walked towards his wife. He set and hand on either shoulder and turned her towards him.

"We'll get her back," he promised.

Astrid just stared at him, shaking.

"We'll get her back, but we need to get the ships ready so we can go after them."

Astrid nodded. They both climbed back onto their horses and rode off.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Zephyr watched as the Roman...important person (she was a Viking, how the heck was she supposed to know how Roman society worked) who'd most likely ordered her capture and his friends walked off.

They were actually going to let her stay in here! Idiots!

The woman turned around and flared at her. Zephyr arched an eyebrow as she watched her turn around and follow after the Roman. She'd mentioned Dad, which meant they probably knew about the dragons.

That was NOT good!

Hold up! We're the dragons a part of this? Was that why she'd been taken?

"Gerrah! Gerrah!"

Speaking of dragons…

Zephyr turned to looked at the eight heads peering down at her.

"Uh...hi…"

One head lurched forward, making Zephyr jump and stumble back as it peered at her.

"I'm a friend," Zephyr said as two more heads bent down to look at her. "Don't eat a friend!"

The five remaining heads bent down to her level, clicking and cawing curiously. Zephyr gulped as she closed her eyes, turned her head away, and held her palm out. Each head took a turn sniffing it, then they all lurched forward and wrapped their necks around the wiry girl, nipping playfully at her hair, and nuzzling up under her arms.

"Alright, Alright." Zephyr chuckled as she reached out and petted each along the bony ridges going down the back of their brows. A sad smile spread across her face. "I guess I'm the only friend you've had for a while, huh?"

The dragon cooed as it settles down. Zephyr took the chance to examine her new friend. He seemed to be in good condition, all things considered. Clearly he'd been in several battles, nasty ones by the looks of the numerous scars covering his body.

"How long has this guy had you?" Zephyr asked. The dragon crooned sadly as Zephyr petted its back.

"I know a place you can go," she said softly as all eight heads watched her. "Where you'll be safe and free. I don't think there's a dragon like you there, I've never read anything about one like you. But you could still escape there and live a good life."

The heads nuzzled up against her again.

"You've just gotta help me get out of here," she sighed.

"What is she saying?" One of the guards stationed outside the cage asked. Zephyr listened intently, but without showing it. So far she'd only spoken to one being, her new scaly friend, and in Norse. So far no one here knew she could speak or understand Latin and she was going to keep it that way.

"Maybe some sort of spell," another guard said. "I mean, look at the beast, never seen him this calm."

"You sayin' she's a witch?"

Witch? Witch? That was new! She'd been called many things before: need, clutz, a hot mess, but not a witch. Zephyr wasn't really sure how she was supposed to take this one.

"Well, sure. They're all a bunch of savages up north! Makes perfect sense their princess would be a witch.

Zephyr almost saw her brain she rolled her eyes so far back. Where to even begin with everything wrong in that statement.

It was then she realized all the guards were staring at her.

"Uh…" she stared back, thinking a bit before saying, in Norse. "Hi, how you doing? Boo!"

On the "boo" she jumped forward, hands raised. All of the guards startled back and they immediately returned to their stations in a semicircle around the cage door.

"Huh," Zephyr hummed to herself. This whole witch thing might actually come in handy…

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"So when are we sending word out?" Ragnar asked.

"Not anytime soon," Phineas answered. "We'll wait until they're in a full panic, then we'll send word."

"That may not be wise," Chantai mumbled. "The Emperor of China is a clever man, and he surrounds himself with wise men. It won't take him long to find out where his daughter is."

"He has to realize she's missing first. Doesn't the emperor have over a dozen wives with a little under thirty children between them? Granted I did take the only daughter of his favorite wife, but still, it will take a good while for him to miss one of 30. Same with the sultan-"

"Not this Sultan," Griselda grumbled. "He could marry a dozen women if he wanted, but he's only ever had eyes for one."

"And together they have twelve children, eleven of which are daughters.. Again, it will take a while to miss one.'

"But the other three?" Ragnar asked.

"Bah! Our Caesar is an overblown idiot who puts too much stock in loyalty to country and crown. He'd never suspect one of his own senators to betray him! The Pharaoh, well, he has no shortage of enemies. There's a long list of people he'd suspect before me."

"And the chief?" Chantai asked.

"Bah, a northern savage! He'll never figure out where she's gone!"

"I think you're underestimating him," Griselda warned. "He's not as stupid as you think. He's quite clever, in fact. Clever enough to somehow make all northern dragons disappear, remember?"

Phineas brushed Griselda off with a flick of his wrist. "Then we'll distract them. My birthday is this week afterall, nothing like a party to cover things up."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Antonio sighed in relief as he saw a looming mansion ahead of him. This had to be it! This had to be where they'd taken Claudia! Antonio carefully shuffled forward, squinting at the name above the door. He couldn't read very well, being born a slave, but Claudia had only taught him a small bit. Enough to decipher the name "Phineas" on the arch over the door.

Antonio grumbled as he began looking about. He didn't know anything about senate affairs, of course, but he knew of Senator Phineas. He'd served him many times when he visited the Caesar's palace. He was a rude, pompous man who always tried to undermine the Caesar's power. He would be the one to take their beloved princess!

It took him a little searching, but Antonio managed to find the slave entrance. Blending in shouldn't be a problem. He'd been a slave his whole life, he knew how to act. He also knew what the price would likely be when he returned home. As long as Claudia made it back, though, he didn't care.

He made his way to the kitchen, it wasn't hard to find. Phineas' manor had a very similar layout to the Caesar's palace. The kitchen would always be a good place to start when trying to get to the bottom of anything. That's where all the gossip happened.

The place was bustling when he got there. It looked as if they were preparing a feast. Fine by him, less a chance of anyone noticing the new guy and wanting to ask questions. He quickly found a pile of dirty dishes and began scrubbing them as he listened.

"...tryin' ta blackmail five world leaders. Senators gone bloomin' mad."

"Yeah, and it will be our hides that get skinned when this goes south."

"Just wish the Moorish one and the hydra would shut up!"

Moorish one? So Claudia wasn't the only one they took! Antonio didn't know if that made him feel better or worse. And a Hydra? He'd only ever dead ones before in his life. They were exceedingly rare creatures, hunted to the brink of extinction a few generations ago. They'd only started popping back up, usually in gladiator rings.

Did senator Phineas have a Hydra? It was fairly likely. He was wealthy enough for one.

"Someone oughta take this to the dungeons."

Dungeons. Captives. Claudia!

Antonio dropped the dirty dishes and scrambled to grab whatever "it" was. It was a tray with five bowls of gruel and five cups of water.

"I'll take it," Antonio offered, grabbing the tray and heading off, ignoring the strange looks he got.

He didn't actually know where the dungeon was, but assumed it would be in the same general spot as in the palace. He was right. The guards let him in without question. That was good. He could come and go as he pleased. But getting Claudia back out would be-

"HEY!"

Antonio jumped and turned at the shout. In the first cell to his right was a young girl with brown skin,a gold nose ring, and a purple headscarf that covered her hair.

"Let me out!" the girl shouted as she banged her fist on the door. Her latin was very good. Barely even an accent. Clearly she was well educated. "Do you know what you are doing? My father's the Sultan! He'll come and kill all of you if you don't let us go right now!"

Antonio slid one bowl and glass into her cell. The girl glanced down at it and kept screaming.

"Oh, you think some food is going to shut me up? How do I know you haven't poisoned it?"

A loud sob of fear came from the cell next to her. Antonio shuffled over to her looked to see another young girl huddled in a corner. She pulled her flowing, colorful robes over her thin, pale frame. Tears rolled down from her almond shaped eyes as her black hair fell into her face.

"Don't worry, sweetie, Rima is going to get us out of here," the first girl declared.

Antonio left the crying girl some food and water before moving onto the next cell. In it was another dark skinned girl, dressed in all white, her hair woven into hundreds of tiny braids. She stared out the tiny window in her cell. Antonio didn't bother her, only left her her lunch and moved onto the final cell.

A young girl with curly golden hair sat in the corner, fiddling with the edges of her luxurious toga as Antonio whispered:

"Claudia. Claudia?"

The girl perked up her head and turned to him. "Antonio?"

"Sh," Antonio whispered as he slid her food and drink under her cell.

"Antonio," Claudia crawled to him and grasped onto the bars between them. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you, obviously," Antonio answered.

"How?"

Antonio bit his lip. "I haven't thought that far ahead, honestly."

Claudia rolled her eyes. "You never do. I mean, have you even thought about what will happen when you go home? You left your master's house without permission. You'll-'

"I know. I know. I'm working on it!" Antonio promised.

"Working on it how?"

"Well, I found you, didn't I?" Antonio asked. "Now I've just gotta find a way to get you out."

"Us too if you don't mind," the girl with the head scarf asked.

"Well, sure," Antonio said. "Why exactly did he take all of you?"

"I'm not sure," Claudia answered. "Certainly he wishes to blackmail our fathers, though for what I'm unsure." the girl in the braids said.

"Maybe the Northern girl knows?" The one with braids suggested.

'Northern girl?" Antonio asked.

"There is a fifth one," Claudia explained. "But they never brought her to the dungeon. They said she took off once she got here and jumped into a hydra's cage."

"So she killed herself!?" Antonio gasped.

"No," Claudia shook her head. "She's still alive. In fact the hydra's protecting her."

"Wha-How?"

Claudia shrugged.

"I hear men say she might be witch," the girl in the colorful robes suggested in broken latin.

"Well she is from the north where the savages live so it might be possible," Claudia muttered. "Still, maybe she can help you."

"A possible witch living with a hydra help us?" Antonio arched an eyebrow.

"You have any better idea?" Claudia asked. "Besides, you've got to bring her lunch anyways."

She gestured to the food on the tray in Antonio's hands.

"Oh," Antonio stated. He'd not questioned why he was given five sets of food when there were only four girls in here.

"Well don't just sit there, go find her!" The one in braids snapped. Antonio stood up and walked out, but not before promising Claudia once more:

"I will get you out of here, whatever it takes."

Claudia smiled and nodded at him. He shuffled out of the dungeon.

A hydra cage. Where would that be? Probably outside for starts, but where?

Antonio found a door that led to what looked like a garden. That was a good place to start at least. He wandered outside and looked about until he found a structure up ahead that looked like an arena.

"Well, arena, coliseum, close right?" Antonio asked as he walked towards it. Inside were several cages that held all kinds of beastly animals: lions, bears, tigers, and, Yes, a hydra!

Half a dozen men were stationed outside the cage. Antonio cautiously made his way towards them, thankful when they hardly acknowledged him. He squinted as he peered inside.

Sure enough, lounged up against the hydra's side was a young girl! She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. She was small in stature, and quite thin. Freckles decorated her face, partially covered under her bangs. A messy, dark auburn ponytail fell over one shoulder as she absent-mindlessly fiddled with it.

Antonio bent down and slid the tray in through the bars. He checked over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't being closely watched or listened to, them leaned closer. The hydra growled and he leaned back but still whispered:

"Psst! Hey! Do you know why you and the other girls were taken?"

There was no answer. The girl barely even glanced in his direction.

Antonio sighed. "Of course you can't understand me! Why would a savage girl speak Latin?"

Antonio stood up and walked off.

Zephyr waited until his back was turned. There was that "savage" word again, still, at least she knew for certain she wasn't the only one now.

"Boy!" One of the guards called, stopping Antonio. He turned to him as the guard held out a sheet of paper. "Shift report, take it to the Senator's study."

Zephyr leaned forward, listening and watching intently.

"Erm, I'm new, can you tell me where-"

"First door to the right going up these steps. That there's the window to it," the guard said.

Zephyr looked at said window. She squinted as she leaned to get a closer look. There was a series of vines growing under it. Not the best climbing tools but she could work with it.

As Antonio walked off the guards began to file out. Zephyr watched in wonder. She thought the changing of the guards would have been scaffold! One guard go, then another, and another! Not all at once! Still, she counted as she waited.

Three minutes and 28 seconds. That's how long it took for the next batch of guards to show up. That wasn't a lot of time, but that window wasn't that far away. Of course she'd have to wait a few more guard changes to get a better gage of an average time for how long it took for each shift change. Still, things were starting to look up for her.