Chapter 10

"….your what?" Randolph's face began taking on a violent shade of red as his jaw clenched and un clenched at her news.

I hope the bastard breaks a tooth.

Feeling her nerves still tense Astrid knew that if she didn't play her part right and convince this monster of her lie, then she would be a married women before the riders found them. Which under no circumstance could happen.

Smug smile in place, Astrid leaned toward him to answer his question. "My husband, the leader of the dragon riders. He rides on the back of a Night Fury, the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself…" she paused looking him straight in the eye. "Ever heard of it?" She leaned back cockily.

Randolph sneered even more after her answer, his cold calculating eyes looking her up and down obviously trying to read her. "You lie. No man could ride a night fury."

Astrid's resolve faltered for a moment. How could she prove to him that Toothless was real? Never mind the fact that while Toothless may have been a Night Fury, he acted more like an over grown house cat. All this beast needed to know was that very soon the infamous dragon covered completely with black scales–

That's it!

"Reach up to my left wrist there's a metal bracelet…I give you permission to break it. Since, I know you will anyways." She mentally and physically cringed as Randolph began reaching up her arm purposely grasping her left wrist roughly as his hands sought out the bracelet.

Sighing she thought back to how she got the bracelet. It was a week before the battle with the dragon hunters when her incredibly sweet and romantic boyfriend had surprised her with it. They had just finished a night flight and had landed on a sea stack to get the privacy they both desperately wanted. It was getting harder by the day to keep their relationship a secret but both had decided until the mess with the hunters was through, it was a secret they were determined to keep.

While they had been perched on the sea stack, watching the stars, Hiccup had stealthy slid the delicate metal bracelet onto her wrist without her knowledge. It was only when he had "curiously" asked what was on her wrist did she notice it. A simple metal linked chain with a scale from both Toothless and Stormfly attached to it. It was delicate and simple but she could tell the metal was incredibly strong, strong enough to stand up to what she would put it through on a daily basis. Then the crowning feature, the two scales. One from each of their dragons, to represent the two of them. It was perfect.

The only thing that made it more perfect was knowing that Hiccup had made it for her. The man she loved so damn much.

A sharp sting on her wrist told her that he had removed the bracelet. Of course breaking it in the process.

Asshole.

Randolph slowly brought the bracelet towards his face dangling it from two fingers. The two scales shown bright even in the dim cell. There was no denying who the black scale belong to. A Night Fury.

"So tell me, how many dragons do you know that have pitch black scales? Hmm?" Astrid asked not able to stop the vindicated tone at seeing his eyes widen slightly and his mouth slightly ajar.

Quickly snapping the astonished look off his face Randolph replaced it with a scowl and furiously gripped her bracelet. "You little –." He never finished what he was going to say because right at that moment an explosion outside drew both there attentions.

Though Astrid couldn't see any of the village from her barred window, she could see the tops of trees and the sky and now a glow off to the right and smoke.

There was a fire. Lots of it.

Randolph jerked his head from the window and looked back at Astrid. Indecision and frustration clear on his face. Stay or go.

Astrid desperately hoped he went.

"Seems like your friend has made an appearance. Shouldn't keep her waiting you know." He growled.

"Slippery like an eel remember?" She gave him one last parting grin as he stalked out of her cell. Leaving the door wide open.

Under certain circumstances Astrid would use the open door to her advantage, try to escape. Unfortunately, these were not normal circumstances.

She was feeling beaten both physically and mentally and it took everything in her to keep her body from sagging the entire time he was with her. So the moment he turned the corner Astrid collapsed, well as much as you can collapse while hanging from your hands. Her entire body burned in pain, the bite near her neck throbbing in time with her pulse. She was pretty sure her hair even hurt. If that was possible.

The only upside to the physical pain was that it gave her something to focus on instead of how much she wanted to break down sobbing at the moment. This Chief had planned on using her body for his own pleasures when he walked into her cell. Take what he wanted from her and then force her to marry him.

Monster.

The fact that he had left her cell only giving her a bite wound and some new bruises was a small miracle. The Gods were definitely looking over her. She was broken out of her thoughts was a voice carried through her barred window.

"A-Astrid…you…shit…you ok?" The tentative voice of Ruffnut broke through the thick silence.

Or maybe it was a Thorston twin who was watching over her…

"….You saw all that…didn't you Ruff?" An overwhelming weight of shame hit Astrid firmly in the chest. Ruffnut saw how that man assaulted her. Heard what he said. Was a front row witness. She had never felt so weak in her life.

"We-we have to get you out of her Astrid. I used the last zipple bomb blowing up the store house. It caught a couple other buildings on fire so it should give us enough time to –." Astrid cut off Ruffnut's rambling.

"Go Ruff." She lifted her head, and locked eyes with the panicked twin. "Get to Stormfly and go."

"What the fuck are you talking about Astrid?!" Ruffnut asked in a furious whisper trying not to draw attention to either of them. "That piece of yak shit almost–almost…" she along with Astrid couldn't utter the words either. To say his intentions made it to real. "and he–he wants to marry you for Loki's sake! I'll just sneak into the prison and–."

Taking a deep breath squared her shoulders back and looked Ruffnut in eye, "we'll never make it. There's too many men and not enough time, please Ruff…go."

Ruffnut opened her mouth again to object, when a small fragile voice from the cell door had both women whipping their gaze in that direction. "She's right. There are men waiting for you at the prison doors."

A small girl of maybe 14 stepped into the cell. Her long black hair was braided into to two plaits that went to the middle of her back. The clothes she wore, while in good shape, were just an incredibly plain brown tunic and leggings, nothing else. Everything about her from her clothes to her subservient posture screamed that she was not to be noticed. To be invincible.

"Who the fuck are you?" Ruffnut's all but growled at her.

The girls eyes darted between the two women and for a brief moment Astrid thought she saw something familiar in them. Like she had stared into those eyes before. Odd.

"My name is Sara, Chief Randolph sent me up here to get Ms. Astrid and take her to her new room, miss." She answered them with her small voice.

Both Ruffnut and Astrid seemed to be taken aback by the knowledge that Astrid would be leaving her cell and this little wisp of a girl would be Astrid's 'escort'. As if even in her damaged form she couldn't overpower her.

Eyes brightening at the news, "great! Start walking to her new room Sara and I'll take Ast off your hands for you. I promise not to hurt you kid, I just want the blonde."

Sara gave a small shake of her head, "You don't want to do that, he's waiting for you." He small voice once again stopped them.

A few moments later Astrid swore under her breath realizing Randolph's plan, for what it really was. A trap. Sara, the open door, all a trap. This man could rival Viggo in diabolical plans.

"Damn it. He wants you to try and rescue me Ruff when Sara moves me. It's a fucking trap." Astrid's head dropped once more taking a few deep breaths trying to keep her anger in check. They were screwed. Slowly raising her head Astrid fixated her gaze on Sara.

"Sara, you must have the key for my wrists. I promise I won't run could you please unlock me? I need to do something."

Giving Astrid a quick nod Sara reached outside of her cell and grabbed a small stool. Moving quietly over to Astrid she stood on the stool and made quick work unlocking her wrist restraints.

When he arms were finally free Astrid almost moaned in pleasure as they flopped down to her sides. Blood and feeling began rushing back to the extremities quickly. She rubbed her wrists where her shackles had been, the skin rubbed raw under her vambraces. Gently as she rubbed them her hand caught the spot where her precious bracelet had once been. Tears gathered slightly in her eyes at its loss. Quickly blinking them back Astrid took yet another deep breath, grabbed the stool Sara had used and turned toward her cell window.

Raising herself to be eye level with her lifelong friend, Astrid could immediately see the confusion all over her face. With a gentle smile, and a comforting look on her face, Astrid met Ruffnut's eyes. A moment passed between the two women where no words were exchanged but everything was said.

Ruffnut began to quickly shake her head 'no' her eyes pleading with Astrid as understanding hit her. "No…NO, I am not leaving you Astrid. I can't go back without you! Think about Hiccup!"

The tears began to gather again at the mention of the man she loved. This time though she didn't hold them back. She let them fall.

"Ruff I am thinking about Hiccup. You have to go. Get him and the other riders here. If you don't, neither of us will leave this Hel."

After an uncharacteristic sniffle and a wipe to her eyes Astrid put a mock stern look on her face. Trying to compose herself enough to send Ruff on her way. "As the wife of your future Chief I'm telling you to go…go and get that husband of mine." As she finished Astrid reached through the bars her right hand extended.

Ruffnut stared at the hand outreached to her own and then looked back up into the determined ice blue eyes of her friend. Finally with a nod of her head Ruffnut firmly grasped her forearm.

Hiccup is going to kill me.

"I swear if you're dead when we get back I'm going to Valhalla personally and dragging you back. Do you hear me?" Her own fierce eyes glaring back at Astrid.

Astrid's grip on her own forearm briefly became stronger and her grin spread. "I expect nothing less. Fly fast…Sister."

It took all she had in her to keep her resolve as the women before her called her Sister. Ruffnut knew the two had become closer since coming to this hateful island, closer than they had ever been. But still Astrid was a warrior, disciplined and fierce and well…she worshiped Loki. The two couldn't have been more different. Still despite all that they had come together, worked as a team, fought as a team. Became battle sisters.

Knowing that if she didn't leave now she never would, Ruffnut gave her one last firm nod and was gone, running in the shadows to her escape.

Astrid watched her disappear into the dark, knowing that Ruffnut would be fine, that she would escape. Taking a deep breath, she turned around looking at the small raven haired girl again.

"Alright Sara let's go."

2 updates in less than a week! Go me!

I hope y'all enjoyed, I really liked writing the last part between Ruff and Astrid. Again thank you for all the reviews, y'all are great!