Finding Salvation through Brutal Damnation 9

*NOTE: for those whose stomach I turned at the end of the last chapter, I'm sorry and will try to make it up to you.

The path Skullcrusher took was a rather roundabout one. First they landed on high on a cliff of a small island. The large dragon sniffed the ground, pawing at the grass and soil before huffing and grunting and taking flight again, not giving Stoick so much as an opportunity to search the area himself.

"He's got a good scent," Gobber observed, keeping up with Grump. "He usually doesn't get this excited on the hunt."

"Aye, they were here for sure," Stoick agreed, holding the reins tight as the Rumblehorn soared toward the north. "It looks like they headed toward that mountain of ice." He pointed toward the distant mountain where faint trails of smoke could be seen even in the darkness of night.

"Well, it's not as if they never search for trouble," Gobber taunted. He glanced over one shoulder with a tiny grin. "Bet you haven't noticed we're being tailed."

"Uh?" But the Hooligan chief's mind was focused on peering through the darkness.

Gobber only shook his head with a small chuckle. He had noticed the riders over an hour ago but said nothing, not wanting to worry Stoick further. However when then came upon the destroyed ice covered fort where only a handful of campfires lit the area with tents dotting icy ledges. Night patrols yelled out to their tribesmen, alerting them to the presence of the dragon riders. Stoick ignored them as Skullcrusher went about sniffing the ground, apparently finding another spot covered in Hiccup's and Toothless's scent and just as quickly as he landed he was off again, not bothering with the men racing toward them.

"Well, we could always break a few heads for answers," Gobber offered, his own worry for Hiccup gnawing at him and wanting answer just as much as Stoick but Skullcrusher was moving fast and it was getting harder for Grump to keep up. This was going to be a very, very long night.

. . .

Hiccup did his best to clean himself. There was no water to even rinse Drago's filth out of his hair and the stench made his nose wrinkle. He had taken the first thing he could find to wipe his face and dry his hair. He couldn't get the taste out of his mouth and the urge to vomit was all consuming but there was nothing left to throw up and all he had was dry heaves so he had swallow back the awful taste and focus passed it. Drago said Toothless wasn't far away and Hiccup was on a time limit. Sixty hours should be more than enough time but he knew better than to trust Drago and his men not to pull some stunt.

He had learned a few things on his first attempt. Berk was a cold place nine months out of the year so Hiccup was used to such temperatures. He hated it, felt the cold more than most of his tribe, but he knew how to deal with it. Taking one of the surprisingly sharp knives that adorn on wall he ripped a wide strip off the heavy fur cover on the bed and wrapped it around his foot. He cut strips from one of the blankets and used them to tie the makeshift fur boot in place. The rest of the fur he made into a cloak and tied around him. It dragged a little behind him but was large enough to wrap around once he got outside where it would no doubt be a hell of a lot colder. Once he was sure he would be warm enough he started debated what weapons to bring. He stashed the dagger in the rope belt then took a short sword as well, judging the weight and balance before slipping it in the other side of his belt. He was about to leave when he decided to grab an axe as well. Normally he never carried so many weapons and he felt a little weighed down by them all but there was no way he was not getting out. He was going to escape, find Toothless and get as far away from Drago as possible. He had to warn his father and the rest of the tribes of the Archipelago about Drago and his dragon army.

With a deep breath he yanked the door open. Like before it was unlocked and the guards were gone. He waited only a moment more, glancing in either direction before slipping out. Drago may have said no one would get in his way but yeah, Hiccup didn't trust Drago as far as he could throw him. He still didn't know where he was going but this time he was playing it smart. He marked each corridor he went into with a slash from his dagger to keep track of which way he went. When he came to a dead end with a locked door he marked and X at the opening so that he didn't go down it again. He did this process over and over again while making mental notes that these passages could in fact lead to his freedom but were presently locked and he would have to fashion some sort of pick to get passed them. For now he would search the other corridors.

There were dragons throughout the fort, small ones like Speed Stingers, Terrible Terrors, Night Terrors others Hiccup had never seen before. He had tried getting their attention, hoping that maybe one could help him but they turned up their noses or fled when he came close, no doubt smelling Drago's filth still on him and knowing not to touch what was their master's. It only served to bring Hiccup already foul mood lower.

"Note to self," he grumbled under his breath as he slashed at a wall with the dagger. "Next time you see a fort blown up and encased in ice leave well alone and fly in the opposite direction. No matter how charming a trapper is don't mess around with them. Free the dragons and blow the ship out of the water and ask questions later…maybe." He muttered under breath a whole check list of things he would never do again after this whole experience. "Dad would never make these stupid mistakes. Gods, he's going to lecture me for the rest of my life when he finds out what happened." He racked a hand through his hair then grimaced, remembering what Drago did and wiped it on his trousers. He had to get out of there. "On the plus side he might forget the whole retiring thing…but then either he or Gobber will be watching my every move FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE! AHHH!" He threw his arms over his head in frustration. It was either one extreme or the other when it came to his father. Either he would be all pride of Hiccup and expect the greatest things from him or utter disappointment in which Hiccup ended up with a babysitter and guard for anywhere from a few days to months on end, depending on Stoick the Vast's mood that day. This was like to land him with an entourage of warriors and no freedom until he was thirty…if he was lucky.

He blinked in surprise when he turned the next corner and found a staircase. A small smile pulled his lips upward and he marked a star on the wall so that if he didn't make it out this time he could find the stairs once again. Feeling renewed hope he jogged up the steps. "I'm coming, bud," he promised.

. . .

Drago waited silently from the top of the fort, watching from the battlements as the preparations were made to his armada. He hummed softly to himself as the water bubbled under the ships, the Bewilderbeast bringing up fish to feed the other dragons. Everything was going smoothly. The dragons were behaving, with the exception of the Nightfury that had been pounding the inside of its cell with both its body and plasma blasts. It was howling and the sound brought back memories Drago rather have left alone. He did his best to ignore the sound. Soon it, like all the others, will be under his control.

"Sir, the boy's made to the second floor," one of his most trusted men reported, interrupting his thoughts.

Drago gave a nod. It wasn't yet an hour and his Little Dragon had already found the stairs which he hadn't the first time.

"That's four floors down," the man continued, his voice even and void of emotion. "Should I have someone slow him down?"

"No, I will deal with him," Drago said, a hint of pride filling him. The stairs didn't lead any further than the second floor. Hiccup would have to find the next staircase. The fort had been built in sections. Each time the ice increased a new level was built and it stretched out for nearly a mile under the ice to house thousands of warriors. "Have a tub brought to my chambers and filled with warm water, and maybe some biscuits and wine…something sweet…the special blend for my more intimate guests."

The man bowed lowly. "As you wish, my lord."

Drago watched the man go off to follow his orders. He was one of the finest examples of Drago's training, an excellent warrior who now served Drago and Drago alone. And soon Hiccup would serve him too, only he would prove a far greater treasure than Drago ever possessed before.

He sauntered down the stairs, taking his time and in no rush. Even if Hiccup made it to the fourth floor he would never find his way out, and if he did there was still an expanse of ice and frigid waters to cross before he would reach his precious Nightfury. Drago had no fear of losing his Little Dragon anytime soon. No, this little game would last quite some time still. He made his way to the third floor where the mess hall and kitchen was currently held and went to see his personal cook, a withered old woman with a keen eye for potions.

"Elle," he said by way of greeting, not saying more than necessary to anyway he found beneath him which was most people in general.

The hunched over woman glanced up, her once blue eyes pale and near blind. "Ah…Drago, what's brings you here this fine evening?"

Drago hummed to himself as he gazed about the vast kitchen. "We have a young man joining our crew, a very special young man. I need something that will keep him awake and sleep at bay."

She cocked her head to one side like a bird eying its prey. "Awake you say? You wish to deny him sleep?"

"Yes, I want to see just how resilient he is."

She nodded to herself as she hobbled over to her herb shelf. "And compliant?"

"No, not yet. Excitable perhaps…very sensitive to the touch."

A small smirk tugged at her chapped lips. "A new toy I take it?"

"Perhaps."

She shook her head. "No perhaps to it. I've seen that look. It's been a long time but I've seen it. You found something special and want to see how well you can control it. Let's see, let's see. Ah yes…I have just the thing. Are we force feeding or slipping it into something?"

"Wine," Drago said, knowing the bitter taste that even the sweetest of wines had would cover the taste of Elle's concoctions. "And I need something to help keep me hard when I need it."

She raised one brow in amusement. "Must be very special," she mused, pulling down ingredients and crushing them in a small bowl. "Beware though, the longer you toy goes without sleep the more likely it is that when it crashes it'll be next to impossible to wake up for days. As for you…no longer than four hours at a time or you'll hurt yourself and I'm guessing you have many plans for this toy. Perhaps the old fashion blowjob will do the trick?"

"He's still in need of training," Drago mused, poking around as he waited. He rarely visited the kitchen unless in need of something only Elle could provide.

The witch snorted. "They all need training. Fine, fine…take only a little of the herb and if it lasted longer than four hours I suggest pounding into it until your seed is spent. How long do you plan to take breaking it?"

"Sixty hours."

She gave another snort. "Give me five minutes with it and I'll have it eating out of the palm of your hand or cock if you like."

That was Elle for you. She never considered one of Drago's special interests as a person until after they were broken. They were simply it, not him or her just it, a beast or dragon but not a person. She handed the crushed herbs to Drago in a pouch with the warning to only use a little at a time, a pinch in the wine, water or food, enough to make sleep impossible and hyposensitise his toy without damaging it and to do so every few hours to keep the continued effect and no to feed directly. Drago gave a curt nod and tied the pouch to his belt. The funny thing with this mixture was that it didn't necessarily need to be taken orally. Like salt it could be applied to bath water as well and while it wasn't as effective it did have a calming effect which Hiccup was sure to need once Drago found him.

He left the witch and continued on his search for Hiccup. It had been nearly two hours now. It was time to collect his pet. Hiccup had yet to find a way to the third floor so Drago went to meet him on the second. Tall crates filled with weapons and supplies littered much of the fort. Every week new supplies were being shipping in preparation for the battle against the nest. Much of it had already been loaded on the ships but there was always the chance of failure and new supplies would be needed to replace the odd. The crates were stacked high and in long rows the made the storage facility more of a maze than anything else. Long corridors broke off from the storage room to other sections of the fort, branching deep into the island and in some cases under the bay to an underwater base of sorts.

Finding Hiccup wasn't too hard. Men and dragon alike indicated where they last spotted him making it no real hunt at all and the boy wasn't helping himself by mumbling under his breath and slashing his steel against the walls to mark his way. Drago was rather disappointed, he thought with Hiccup possessing a Nightfury he would have learned better stealth than this. But of course the boy had been wandering around for several hours and may not even realize he was doing it anymore. Drago was able to get judge which way the boy was going and slip in front of him via a line of heavy wooden crates. They boy was so distracted by his mumblings and trying to figure out whether or not he had gone the wrong way that he didn't notice Drago until he nearly walked into the warlord. He gave a startled cry, jumped back and with surprising speed drew the sword hanging off his side.

Drago took a moment to appreciate the sheer stunning beauty in the one fluid movement. The boy crouched low, a defensive position rather than an offensive one and held the sword slightly behind him, his left arm cock back, elbow bent in a perfect L that allowed for a perfect swing. His right foot was forward, all his weight balanced on it ready to spring forward. Eyes as green as emeralds were narrowed and lips pulled back over crooked teeth in a snarl. Hiccup was an animal cornered and he knew it.

Drago let no emotion show as he wielded his bull hook, gesturing toward the youth in challenge. There was anger in Hiccup's eyes, a rage that waft off him, something Drago could use against him. He let the boy make the first move and it was evident that the young man was not accustomed to that. He was a defender not a real fighter. He protected himself, not lashed out at others, not normally so when he lunged at Drago it was easy for the big man to side step and let Hiccup's momentum send him stumbling forward. Hiccup caught himself before falling and tried lunging again but Drago parried the blow easily with the bull hook. The boy swung again and again the warlord pushed the sword aside as if he were only dealing with a temperamental child who was of no real threat.

"I can see your anger, boy," Drago drawled, blocking another blow. "Use it, strike."

Hiccup snarled and charged at him, his sword posed for a killing blow but he was not a killer by nature and hesitated at the very last moment, his aim faltering. Drago dropped his weapon, surprising Hiccup further and before the youth knew what was happening his sword arm was grabbed and he was suddenly spun around so that his back was to Drago's front and he was pulled against the man, his arms pinned and sword trapped against his chest. He panted in growing fear as he was pulled tight against the large man, his heart pounding so hard it near deafen him.

"You have talent, boy," Drago purred in his ear. "A real knack with a sword but unless you're willing to kill you'll never win."

"I don't need to kill to win," Hiccup breathed.

"Then why am I the one holding you captive rather than your prisoner?"

Hiccup didn't have a good answer for that. He closed his eyes, expecting the worse when Drago's hot tongue drew a line over his earlobe. "Please don't," he whimpered, unable to control the sudden shaking of his body. He was going to be raped. He had lost and this was going to be his punishment, raped until his insides bled or the man defecated in him again or…

"You got surprisingly far," Drago purred, his breath over Hiccup's wet ear sending a shiver down the youth's spine. "That entitles you to a reward. Perhaps next time you will actually find a way out."

"Wha…what sort of reward?" Hiccup asked, fearful of the man putting his mouth anywhere on his body. "Can I see Toothless?" he asked hopeful.

A deep chuckle rumbled through his slight frame from the larger one behind it. "No, but I will allow you something nearly as good." He plucked the sword out of Hiccup's hands then tucked the boy under his arm, forcibly leading him all the way back to his chambers. Hiccup struggled at first but seeing as he had no way of escaping now finally gave up. Drago's hold was like iron and Hiccup knew if he continued putting up a fight he would simply be thrown over one shoulder and probably fucked until he could no longer walk or see straight. He would have to bide his time and pray that somehow he found a way out on his next attempt.

Astonishment filled Hiccup when he was escorted back into Drago's chambers. A large tub had been set off to one side with stream wafting from it. Drago let him go the moment the locks to the door engaged and stepped aside to inspect everything. A platter of biscuits and bottle of wine were set on a low table next to tub.

"You have the choice of washing yourself or continuing your search for your Nightfury," Drago explained as he dusted some ground herbs from the pouch on his belt over the water. "I'm guessing you were not comfortable with your training sessions."

"Geez, I wonder why," Hiccup grumbled, glancing from the tub to the door. He had to find Toothless but he stunk to high heaven of piss and no dragon in their right mind would come anywhere near him like this and he was suspecting the only way out of this hell was by their assistance. But how many hours had already gone by? Sixty hours seemed like plenty of time at first but he was beginning to doubt himself and worry that he might not reach his friend in time. He glanced back at the tub longingly, not paying much attention to Drago as the man went about making sure everything was just perfect. The guy had mirco management issues. The tub looked so inviting and even with the furs he was a bit chilly. A quick bath couldn't hurt, could it? But then he would be wet trying to find Toothless and wet and cold didn't exactly mix…but he had to get arid of this stench before it made him sick again and chased away any hope of escape because even Toothless would be hesitant to come near him like this and Toothless could usually handle anything. All he could do was stare at the tub in indecision, not sure what to do and the decision was soon taken out of his hand.

"The guards will unlock the door again in an hour," Drago said in his deep rich voice as he opened the door to slip out. "There are towels on the bed."

Hiccup panicked. "Wait…no, I…" But it was too late. The door shut behind the warlord and the lock bolted into place behind him. He sighed, finding himself locked in the room once again. He silently apologized to Toothless for his foolishness in not deciding sooner what he wanted to do but at least this way his dragon didn't have to smell him covered in Drago's filth. He could scrub it out of his hair and clothing and…

He stopped and looked around the tub. There was no soap, no scented oils, nothing he could use to wash himself just warm water not even hot enough to remove the smell. He raked his hands through his hair as his anxiety grew. This was ridiculous! How was he supposed to get arid of this smell with no soap or cleaning supplies? With a small whined he pulled his hair and instantly regretted it as the small of Drago urine became overwhelming now that he could think of nothing else. He had to try. He had to do something.

Stripping he dunked the tunic in the water first and scrubbed it the best he could since other than his hair and face it had taken the brunt of Drago's filth. Once that was done he hung it over a chair next to the lit hearth then climbed in the cooling water. He took a piece of the torn blanket to try and wash the smell away. He scrubbed at his hair until his head hurt then he scrubbed his face and shoulders and chest, anywhere the vile liquid might have sprayed him, until his skin was as red as a lobster and the water was as cold as ice. He spent the next half hour huddled in front of the hearth to dry off and get some heat back in his body before dressing and preparing to make his next escape attempt while sipping at the wine and nibbling the biscuits to help keep his strength up, not realizing that the labyrinth of Drago's fort was already changing as corridors were sealed off and doors unlocked and all the clever markings he had made to assist his escape became obsolete.