Astrid stood on the edge of the platform outside the Clubhouse, overlooking the ocean. The gentle sound of the waves crashing on the land matched the kind wind blowing on the young warrior's face, making her bangs move delicately across the forehead. The sun was setting for a second time since Hiccup took off Thor knows where and she was beginning to worry something might have happened to her betrothed. Who knows? Perhaps he got captured by the Hunters during a midnight flight or maybe he crashed on a island without anyone knowing where he was or—
Astrid closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to chase that negativity away. But she couldn't help being worried about Hiccup.
''Guys, I don't like it,'' she said, turning to the other Riders sitting at the table in the Clubhouse, eating and playing Maces and Talons in a crate. ''Hiccup and Toothless should've been back by now, they never stay out that long.''
''Astrid,'' replied Fishlegs, his voice comforting. ''We were all there when he stormed away. It's obvious he just needs time to clear his head, that's all.''
''Annnd, bam!'' cheered Ruffnut from the corner of the room while throwing her arms in the air in triumph. ''Who's the crybaby now?''
Tuffnut moaned sadly as he studied the bottom of the crate of the game, all of his game pieces gone.
Astrid rolled her eyes at the interruption and crossed her arms over her chest.
''We can't just sit here and wait for him to come back,'' she insisted, gesturing with a hand at her friends for some support. ''We got to do something.''
''But there's nothing we can do,'' said Snotlout, actually taking things seriously compared to the twins. ''You know Hiccup best, Astrid. You know as well as I do that when Hiccup needs space, you give it to him, or else…''
The shieldmaiden stared at Snotlout for a couple seconds, acknowledging his words. He was right. Hiccup hated when people entered his bubble in times where he needed to process things through. She remembered when she joined him on that sea stack when he had to accept he would have to hurt the Singetails to defeat the Flyers. At first, of course, it seemed there wasn't any other option but to take out the dragon to take out its Flyer. Astrid had joined Hiccup while he needed time alone and she'd never felt him more distant than when he said he didn't want to talk.
She sighed in defeat, letting her shoulders drop. ''Yeah, I guess you're right…'' she replied softly, grabbing her upper arm as she would do when hurt. ''Goodnight, everyone. I'm going to bed.''
Heather watched her friend leave with concern clear on her face. She exchanged a look with Fishlegs sitting next to her and with a shy shrug from her friend; she got up and caught up with her.
''Hey, Astrid,'' called Heather, reaching out a hand as the blond girl walked silently over the bridges to her hut. Astrid paused in her tracks and turned around slowly to face her best friend.
''Look, I know what you're going to say—'' said Astrid, exhaustion clearly visible from the past few days. Trying to save Hiccup's life from Slitherwing venom hadn't exactly been relaxing and after watching over her beloved nights long, the fatigue was catching up to the shieldmaiden.
''No, you don't,'' replied Heather gently. ''Look, I know Hiccup's been through a lot the past few days. And so have we. I mean, we've been battling the Hunters and the Flyers non-stop and we haven't claimed more. We've been slowly dragging ourselves into the ground and with everything that's happened to Hiccup, I understand you're worried sick about him.''
Astrid cocked an eyebrow as the raven-haired girl, still unaware of where she was going with this. She knew all of that, why would she put it into words?
''So, what are you saying?'' asked Astrid, confused.
''You go get some rest, you've been through a lot,'' she said, placing a hand on her friend's spiky shoulder pad. ''To make you feel better; I'll patrol the areas nearby and see if he's around. If he's not, we'll go on a search party in the morning and try to find him for his own sake. He wouldn't leave his team for more than three days with everything going on unless something bad happened. Does that sound good?''
Astrid sighed and smiled gratefully at her best friend, wrapping her arms around her in gratitude.
''I'll see you in the morning,'' said Heather, parting from Astrid.
Heather smiled tenderly as she watched her go, thankful she put her trust in her. Grabbing her horn, she pressed her lips against the entrance and blew, creating a deep sound and a unique call for her trusty Razorwhip. Only a few moments later, Windshear roared sharply and landed next to her rider, allowing the young girl to climb on the saddle.
''Alright, Windshear,'' she said, grabbing on to the handles with a fearless look in her toxic green eyes. ''Let's go find Hiccup.''
…
Hiccup's arms stretched above his head loosely as Krogan cuffed his other wrist to the chains dangling over him from the ceiling. He'd felt defenseless before, being locked in a cell with no weapons, not even a knife. But this went above all of that. He felt more vulnerable than before, with his chest and every single fragile rib exposed to the enemy. Whatever Krogan's 'treatment' was, he already knew he wasn't going to enjoy it.
The tall foreigner dusted his hands off and backed away slightly to admire his work. With Hiccup's hands cuffed over his head, the boy was without any defense and it was all up to him what he felt like doing next.
''You have no idea how long I've dreamed of this moment,'' said Krogan, walking in a tight circle so slowly.
''Well, you sure dream big,'' commented Hiccup, bringing out his sassy side, being his only remaining defense.
Krogan turned back around to face him, a twisted smile printed on his lips. ''That is true. Yet,'' he said, lowering himself slightly to be at the same eye level as his captive. ''Look where we are now.''
''Krogan, is this really necessary?'' demanded Viggo from outside the cell, standing straight as he addressed his partner.
But the man didn't even turn around to answer the Hunter's question. ''Not for business,'' he replied, narrowing his eyes on Hiccup with a smile only growing bigger every passing minute. ''This is treat time.''
''That sounds so wrong,'' commented Hiccup, a disgusted look all over his face.
The Flyer didn't waste another second and punched the Rider square in the jaw. Right on the impact, Hiccup felt like his legs had disappeared from underneath him as his deadweight tugged on the chains above him and left him hanging loosely from the painful handcuffs ruining his wrists.
It took him a moment, but he finally found the strength in the lower part of his body to pull himself back up and stand on foot and prosthetic. Tasting his own blood in his mouth, Hiccup spat out the red liquid to the floor and summoned his bravery to look up at the Flyer challengingly.
''Jeez, Krogan, what did I ever do to you?'' he demanded, his bangs dangling over his eyes.
Unfortunately for Hiccup, all he received were more punches to his middle like Krogan was using him as a human punching bag.
''We wouldn't be here, Hiccup, if you'd just accepted your fate,'' said the Flyer between hits. ''You know why? 'Cause you'd already be dead.''
''Seize this brutality at once, Krogan!'' shouted Viggo from behind the foreigner, a hand strongly gripping at a rusty metal bar of the cell.
''Are we gonna have a problem, Viggo?'' asked Krogan, turning to face the Hunter with sweat running down the side of his face. He slowly walked away from Hiccup who coughed out as quietly as he could, refusing to appear weaker in front of the Flyer. Viggo never broke the glare with his business partner and only watched as he came closer. ''We've come so far you and I.''
Blood dripped down one drop at a time from Hiccup's mouth as he raised his head just enough to see what had paused Krogan's so-called treatment.
''I will not tolerate such childish behavior,'' stated Viggo, pointing his index to the ground authoritatively.
But Krogan only sneered in response and walked passed Viggo towards one of two guards that had accompanied Krogan when he'd arrived.
''Oh, Viggo,'' said Krogan, snatching one of the guards' crossbows they had in hand. ''You can't say you hate it until you've tried it.''
Viggo wondered what Krogan had in mind next and feared the worst as he walked back towards the entrance of the cell.
''You wouldn't dare…'' he hissed while the Flyer loaded the weapon, pulling on the string to settle behind the arrow.
''Oh no, this…'' he said, pausing as he admired the crossbow. ''This is for you.'' Then Krogan lifted up the sharp end of the arrow ready to be fired in Viggo's direction and the man held his gaze with the foreigner, wondering what game he was playing at. Krogan grew a smile in the corner of his mouth and gestured with his head to the entrance of the cell. ''Go on. Beat 'im up.''
Viggo put on a dark mask and slowly followed the man's orders, walking into the cell and approaching the boy who could barely take on more bruising from where he hanged. Silence hung in the air as Viggo positioned himself before Hiccup, resisting at lifting up his fists onto the Rider. His eyes stared at the floor, refusing to meet his greatest opponent's gaze. Just as he slightly cast a look over his shoulder at Krogan, he caught a glimpse of the man ready to pull on the trigger with the deadly end of the arrow aiming for the back of his neck and understood he didn't have a choice this time. He would have to take whatever order from Krogan for as long as his life was on the line. Because if he dies, Hiccup dies just as well and Krogan would win and he just couldn't let that happen.
Tightening his fist, Viggo stroke right in the Rider's guts and forced another blow on his torso, repeating the movements again and again and again until the Hunter was lost in the enjoyment of violence he hated so much. Breathing rapidly, Viggo punched him once last time before waiting for Hiccup to raise his gaze again and meet his sorry eyes.
Gasping for breath with blood dripping down his mouth and bags colored underneath his tired eyes, Hiccup forced himself to meet the Hunter's gaze and fought for strength to speak some few words to the man he had learned to respect despite their positions. But not anymore.
''You'll… you'll never change…'' he whispered before dropping his head from the pain traveling throughout his body.