Chapter 7

Arguments


Astrid was still locked up in her cage, pacing impatiently, when a man walked in the room wearing a murderous scowl.

"Where did they go?!" he yelled right at her face.

She didn't flinch."Excuse me?" Astrid asked in response.

"The boy and his guard," the man clarified. "Where did they go!?"

"He took Hiccup to talk to someone," Astrid answered honestly, lines of confusing beginning to etch into her expression.

"NO!" the man shouted again. "I mean, where did they go?"

Astrid was beyond confused at this point, and even that didn't cover her perplexity. She was downright lost. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said.

"You dare lie to me?!" he screamed in anger.

"I'm not lying!" Astrid tried to defend herself.

"Let her be, Thurman," another voice commanded the man with authority. "She tells the truth."

"And how would you know?" the man questioned as he turned to the voice with pure hatred in his eyes.

"I was here the whole time. They never once discussed a plan to escape," the new voice answered calmly, stepping out of his spot into view.

He was tall, taller then most men Astrid had seen so far. His hair was black; black as the night. He had it cut shorter than most people would wear, and his eyes were a mossy green, very unlike any others she had withessed. His eyes were round and evenly spaced, complementing his nose that rounded out instead of coming to a point like some people.

"Ha-ha...Hagen?" the first man stuttered at the sight of the new person.

"Yes, it's me, Thurman," the man answered as if he was used to getting that reaction all day. "Now go find my idiotic brother, and tell him I want to see him." He pointed at Astrid. "And move this young lady to a more comfortable cell."

"Yes sir, I'll go get one ready right now," the man said, bowing respectfully, and dashed off to hopefully carry out the man's order.

"Now, while we wait, do you mind telling me what's going on here?" the man who was called Hagen asked Astrid.

"Who are you?" Astrid asked, completely ignoring his question.

"I am Hagen," he answered, his voice once again full of unspoken authority.

Astrid figured she wouldn't get any more information out of him about himself, so she tried a change of topic. "Where is Hiccup?" she questioned.

"Hiccup?" Hagen asked with a slight tilt of his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't know a Hiccup."

"He was the other prisoner," Astrid clarified. She was beginning to worry now, and it showed in her voice.

"Oh, oh, oh," Hagen responded as if he now understood the question. "He's been taken hostage, I guess you could say. But you have no need to worry. They'll be back soon enough."

"'They?'" she asked quickly.

"Yes. Seth has taken the other prisoner for reasons that are to remain unknown for the time being."

"Who's Seth?"

"Has he not introduced himself yet? Wow, I've been gone longer then I thought. My brother needs to relearn a few things once I see him."

"So, who's Seth?" Astrid repeated.

"My youngest brother," Hagen said without a second thought. "Now, tell me, please. Why are you here?"

"HA!" Amber's voice shouted in Astrid's place. "Wouldn't we all like to know?!"

They both turned towards the voice and looked at Amber, sitting with her arms crossed in anger in her cell.

"Sire," Thurman interjected, returning to the room, "the cell you requested is ready."

"Very well. Go ahead and take her," Hagen said, showing no emotion as the man took Astrid out of her cage and led her out of the room.

Once the pair left, Hagen's eyes fell on Amber once again.

"Amber," Hagen said slowly. "Long time no see."

Amber looked disgusted. "Long time, yes. No see, thankfully," she snapped back.

"You're still mad about that?" Hagen asked, slowly walking closer to Amber's cell.

"Let's just say, you're lucky there's a cell door in between us."

"Or are you happy that there is?" Hagen said mysteriously. "You've never been one to stay and fight, have you?"

He stopped right in front of her cell, looking at her as one might look at a painting. He examined her for a full minute before his eyes rested on her hand.

"You still wear it," he said with a smile.

"Don't flatter yourself, I couldn't get the stupid thing off."

"Are you sure that's the only reason you've kept it on?"

"Trust me, it is."

"Your still an awful liar whenever I'm present."

"What lies?" Amber demanded. "I'm an honest woman now. I can't tell a lie."

"I had that ring made to your exact measurements. There is no reason why it should not come off."

"It's been three years, Hagen. I've grown since then."

"What happened to 'I can't tell a lie.'?" he asked, taking his focus off the ring that remained on her left hand long enough to meet her eyes.

"Nothing has happened to it," Amber responded hotly, standing up from her spot on the bench and leaning against the bars on her cell. "It still remains the truth."

Hagen's head dipped down in a slight angle while his eyes remained on Amber. Almost as if he was saying, 'tell me the truth' without even parting his lips.

"What do you want, pig?" Amber asked in disgust, trying to change the subject.

"You still treat me as if it was my idea," Hagen stated, shame crossing his face.

"Well, you didn't seem to mind or disagree."

"That's because, right then, I was too blind to be able to see the outcome. You know that."

"You could've stopped it," Amber said, trying to show no emotion.

"I tried, but it was to late."

"You did nothing, you lying filth," Amber spat, looking straight into Hagen's eyes.

He breathed in, breathed out, and continued. "I did not come to fight with you."

"But you still don't seem to mind. Just like-"

"No! I stopped that!" Hagen interrupted, trying to silence her without the use of force.

"-last time-" Amber continued, stomping over his words.

"No-!"

"-they begged for their lives-!" she spoke on, despite Hagen's denial.

"-I tried to stop it-!"

"-and you sat there-!"

"-stop it-!" Hagen commanded, trying to block out her words.

"-and watched!" Amber finally finished, pure anger dripping from her words.

Hagen's once calm look of control disappeared, now replaced with a look of guilt and anger.

"It wasn't my choice-"

"It was your choice to make, Hagen! Your choice! No one else's but yours!"

Silence followed Amber's words, tears brimming Hagen's eyes at the memory. No one dared to speak for a long time.

"It wasn't my fault," Hagen said quietly, finally looking away from Amber's eyes.

"But you still could have prevented it."

"I HAD NO CHOICE!" he yelled in her face, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

"Then why are you here?" Amber asked, anger still covering her face as if the look was glued there.

"I may not be able to change what has happened, but I can still change what will happen."

Amber was slightly shocked at his response, but didn't let it show as she answered. "And what will happen, Hagen?"

"Something that won't end well for either of us if you don't shut your mouth and listen."

"I have no reason to listen to you!" she snapped.

"Will you just listen just this once?!"

Amber shut her mouth, stopping whatever words were forming on her tongue.

"Look," Hagen started, "I know what I've done in the past, and I know I could have done some things differently. But for the love of Thor, Amber! I am still your betrothed!"

Amber didn't answer, nor did she look at him, knowing the truth in his words.

"And until the day I die," he continued without for a response, "or you decide you want that ring off your finger for good, it won't change. Can you accept that, Amber?"

"How am I supposed to accept the man who bought me as a slave?" she hissed quietly, putting all her weight against the bars in an attempt to get right in his face.

"I don't know, Amber," Hagen shrugged with nothing left inside him to fight, "but you need to find some way to accept that, and you need to soon. Because when I come back, you're either with me, or against me. And you know you don't want to be the latter."

He started to walk out of the room, feeling saddened at their argument. He stopped half way and looked over his shoulder at her. "I know your love is not towards me," he started, barely looking at her. "But don't turn your anger towards him, too. He is still my brother."

And with that, he walked out of the room, leaving Amber with her thoughts and feeling more guilty then she thought possible.

It wasn't my choice, Hagen thought to himself. Those people killed her first.


Edited 4/21/2016

Yes, I did say last chapter I probably wouldn't post another rewrittin chapter, but I happen to have alot of time on my hands tonight, so here you go.

I know I all of a sudden switched to exotic names in the beginning, but they sound cool! BTW Pronounced: HAY-gin and THEIR-men I believe.

Okay, NOW I probably won't post another rewrittin chapter. (Key word "Probably")

Reviews are really awesome!

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-MFM