Hi guys, sorry for not updating in a while. Besides having Christmas stress (I still need to get so many presents and so little time!) I'm battling something that might very well be the flu at the moment, so I'm sorry of this chapter seems strange. I did my best for you guys because you deserve an update. My next update will likely be after Christmas, so Merry Christmas, or whatever you celebrate this time of year, and I'll see you all at the next update! Stay awesome guys! Love you all!

Enjoy!

Chapter 26. The Beginning of the End

"Astrid...?" Hiccup asked softly, "what happened to Wrenlou? Where is he?"

She sighed as she walked over, setting the bowl on the bed side table. "He's still in his cell," she said softly, "he's been there since you got back."

"I have to go talk to him..." Hiccup muttered, making a move to get up.

She shook her head, pushing him back down again and readjusting the blankets. "No. You need to rest. It's been only five days. You're still injured and I'm telling you to stay here."

"Astrid..." he started, but she hushed him.

"You will stay here," she said, "please... please Hiccup... Wrenlou was still under the influence of that drug last I saw him. He's not the one you know at the moment. He's... he's a savage who wants to kill us all. And Drago is still on the way... you need all the strength you can possible have if you want to fight him in your condition."

He sighed, staring at the blankets. "Drago..." he mumbled, "how far out is he."

"We're not certain," she said as she sat down next to him, "but he's not yet reached our outposts. Even then he can't be far away. Hiccup... how big is his army?"

"Massive," he said, taking her hand and stroking the ring on her finger, "huge... dragons, men, they all fight for him. But there's more... he... uses dragons. He has them enslaved. They're... just like tools to him, nothing more."

"How... how can he do this," she asked, looking at him with a flicker of fear in her eyes.

"I don't know," he shook his head, looking down, "I really don't. Maybe the same way he controls Wren, with some drug he gives them. But even then... to control such a large group... Astrid, when he attacks, I want you to stay in the Hall with the healers, with Aminda and her students."

"Hiccup no," she protested, "I'll stay with you. I want to stay with you."

"Astrid..." he said and he took her hands, squeezing them lightly, "believe me when I want you as close as possible. But this isn't a matter of pride, or honour, it's about you... both of you... I wouldn't know what to do if I lost either of you. I'm asking you to stay in the Hall so I know you are safe, you and the baby. Promise me Astrid, promise me you'll stay with Aminda. Besides... they can use all the help they can get..."

She sighed deeply, but eventually nodded. He smiled weakly and pulled her into his arms, kissing her lightly.

"Stay with me... Milady..." he whispered in her ear, pulling her hair free from the confines of its braid, "stay with me..."

She smiled back, shaking her hair loose, letting it flow down her shoulders as she slipped out of her boots and spiked skirt and slipped under the blankets with him. He glanced at it, then looked up at her.

"You might want to reconsider wearing that when the baby is born," he said with a soft smile.

She frowned and looks at it as well. "What else am I to wear?" she asked, "nothing?"

"Wha... no of course not!" he said, "but surely you have one that isn't that... spiky? I don't want our baby to get hurt..."

"I'll have one made..." she said, "just for you."

"No, not for me, for you," he said, frowning, "so the baby..."

"Oh shush..." she whispered, "I know what you mean..."

She rested her head on his chest as she had done many times before, but it was different now. The impending war that hung over then was pressing down on all of them, and she sighed softly as she ran a hand over his bandages. He didn't seem to notice, running his hand through her hair.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen..." he mumbled, "and I've seen a few... in my explorations..."

"Hiccup Haddock," she said, lightly teasing him, "have you been with other women before me?"

"No! Yes... maybe..."he muttered, his face turning red, "just one... but I've seen many... gods Astrid, why do you always do this to me," he groaned when he saw the smirk on her face, "always..."

"Rest..." she said, kissing his cheek, "just rest..."

"How can I..." he muttered, "a war brewing... my baby coming...my best friend a deranged madman..."

"I know," she said, "it won't be easy. But you need rest... you need to heal, you need to be strong... for when he does come."

"I'll try... Milady," he said softly, "for you."

0-0-0-0-0

"And where do you think you're going?" Astrid asked as she walked in, "you belong in bed!"

"I'm going to see Wren," Hiccup said, straightening his tunic, "it's been a week, he must be back to his normal self by now."

"Hiccup..." she said, grabbing his arm as he turned to leave, "what if he isn't?"

"Then... then I don't know..." he said, looking down, "Astrid, call a meeting in the Hall. I want to discuss our strategy and inform them on how big Drago's crew really is. I'm going to see Wren, then I'll join you."

She sighed but nodded, accompanying him downstairs. When his foot touched the floor a black flash raced towards him, and Toothless covered him in licks.

"I missed you too bud..." Hiccup smiled, "even though I was upstairs and you could have come..."

The dragon warbled and licked him again. He sat back when Hiccup pushed him away again.

"Stay close alright bud?" he said, rubbing the black snout, "we have something to do..."

The dragon crooned and followed him closely. He left the house, trying to ignore the people that called out to him, wanting to know what happened. Toothless growled when they came too close and that helped him get to the prison relatively unbothered.

"Hiccup," one of the guards said with a smile, "it's good to see you up and about. What brings you here?"

"I need to speak with Wrenlou," he said, glancing at Toothless as the dragon sat down.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow it," the guard said, "orders of the Chief. He's dangerous."

"Wren? Dangerous?" Hiccup asked, "how..."

"We don't know sir," the other guard said, "he's been in there screaming for days. He just quieted down but we don't dare look. The things he said... horrible things."

"Screaming?" Hiccup asked, a flash of concern on his face, "why? Didn't anyone check on him at all?"

"Well... no..." the guard said, exchanging a glance with his comrade, "we weren't allowed."

"Open the bloody door and let me in," Hiccup grumbled, "that's an order."

The two guards glanced at each other and nodded, stepping aside and opening the door to let him in. he nodded shortly while he walked past them, Toothless staying behind. He shuddered a little as he walked through the dimly lit hallway, the cold of the approaching winter creeping into his bones. He glanced into every cell, stopping when he reached the last. Wrenlou was curled up in a corner, tremors shaking his body. Hiccup watched for a moment, then he slowly approached the bars.

"Wren?" he called out hesitantly, "is that you...?"

Wrenlou slowly looks up, his bloodshot eyes widening when they met Hiccup's. He sobbed once before turning away, mumbling something incoherently.

"Wren, it's me," Hiccup said, "you remember me right? It's Hiccup..."

Wrenlou shook his head a little and didn't answer. Hiccup frowned, quickly retrieving the key to open the door. Wrenlou flinched as it opened with a shriek, but didn't look up when Hiccup knelt in front of him.

"Wren... look at me, please," Hiccup asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Wrenlou shook his head, trying to pull away but the chain around his wrist prevented him from getting very far. Hiccup frowned and moved closer.

"Why not..." he asked softly, trying to lift Wrenlou's head, "it's okay... please just look at me."

"H...how can I..." Wrenlou whispered, "a...after..."

"After what he made you do?" Hiccup said, sitting down, "look... I know he forced you... and to be honest, I'm glad it was you."

Wrenlou looked up, shock and disbelief in his blue and green eyes. "Glad...? How... how can you be glad about that..."

"Well," Hiccup started, "the way I see it, they would have had no restraint in doing it. They probably would have... done more damage... while you tried to make it as painless as you could. And I would have done the same, if Toothless' life had been in danger like that. Look Wren, you've been through a lot the past few weeks, I don't blame you for anything."

Wrenlou snuffed as tears burned in his eyes. "Y...you really mean that...?" he whispered, "you're not angry...?"

Hiccup shook his head, gently wiping a tear away. "Never," he said while he unlocked the chain around Wrenlou's wrist, "I could never be angry at you. He gave you a terrible choice. In fact, it wasn't even much of a choice at all. He must have known you would never let Snow die. He's evil Wren, it's his fault this happened, not yours."

"Drago... is he..." Wrenlou started.

"He's not here yet," Hiccup said as he sat down again, "but we suspect he's close. It won't be long now... before the war starts..."

Wrenlou nodded a little, staring at the ground. Hiccup sat silently for a while, before grabbing Wrenlou's shoulder, causing him to look up.

"It is you right?" he asked, "no more drug? It's all gone?"

"Y...yes..." Wrenlou said, "I think so..."

"Good..." Hiccup mumbled, "that's good... The guards say you were screaming... why?"

"It... hurt," Wrenlou said, his voice becoming more his own, "when it wore off. It felt like... being stabbed over and over and over... unrelenting pain. It just... wouldn't stop..."

"But it's gone now?" Hiccup asked and smiled weakly when Wrenlou nodded, "good..."

"Hiccup..." Wrenlou said softly, "he made me do... terrible things..."

"I know..." Hiccup started, but Wrenlou cut him off.

"No you don't know!" he yelled, tears burning, "you don't... you can't..."

Hiccup frowned, moving closer. "Do you want to tell me?"

"You'll hate me if I do..." Wrenlou mumbled, "I hate me."

"I won't hate you," Hiccup said with a soft smile, "I promise I won't. I could never hate you, okay?"

Wrenlou glanced at him and nodded a little. "There... there was a village... I'm not sure where, but it had... I think it had attacked one of his ships and defeated it... somehow... Hiccup... he made me go there with an armed force of dragons and... and... he made me destroy it..."

"He did what...?" Hiccup asked, shocked, "he made you... destroy it...?"

Wrenlou nodded, looking at the ground. "I tried to fight it... I tried. But I couldn't... I was screaming so loud and no one heard me... I couldn't stop it... they died... they died Hiccup, and I killed them... I'm a monster... I deserve to be in here."

"No... of course not..." Hiccup said softly, wrapping an arm around Wrenlou's shoulders, "he deserves to be here. It wasn't your fault, it was his. You couldn't help it."

"They don't know that," Wrenlou mumbled, "the village. The way they looked at me... pure hatred... they hate me. And why won't they. I killed their loved ones and destroyed their village."

Hiccup didn't answer, just staring at the door. Silence filled the small cell, to be broken by Hiccup as he stood up.

"I'm going to get you some food," he said, going to the door, "something tells me you haven't eaten in a while."

Wrenlou nodded but Hiccup was already gone. He came back not long after, carrying a basket in one hand and a bottle in the other. He put both items down on the bunk, gesturing him over.

"Come. Eat something," he said, taking out some bread and chicken, "you'll need your strength when Drago comes."

Wrenlou looked at him and slowly got up, stumbling as he went over to where Hiccup sat. He stared at the food for a moment, before looking up to meet his eyes.

"He will come... won't he," he asked softly, and Hiccup nodded solemnly, "with Snow... we'll have to fight Snow... Hiccup, what if she gets killed by one of us... I couldn't... I don't..."

"I'll do anything in my power to prevent that," Hiccup assured him, putting some of the meat in his hand, "now eat. And when you're done I want you to come to the Great Hall. We're calling a meeting to discuss our strategy when Drago comes, and I'm sure you have information that could be useful."

"You... trust me?" Wrenlou asked, finally giving into hunger and digging into the food, "what about the others?"

"They will listen to me," Hiccup said, "and if I tell them you're back to being you they will believe me."

He nodded and took a sip from the bottle. Hiccup said nothing for a while, just watching as Wrenlou finished the first meal he had in days.

"Broghan is here," he said eventually, "arrived not too long ago, if I remember correctly. He says you sent him a letter, right after Snowflake was taken?"

"I did," Wrenlou said, then he looked down, "I just doomed them too... I dragged them into a war we most likely won't even win. I condemned them to death..."

"Of course you didn't," Hiccup said while he got up, "they came willingly. And they know the risk. They choose to stay. You haven't condemned anyone. Now, take all the time you need to compose yourself, then come to the Hall, okay? I'll take the guards with me."

"I don't know..." Wrenlou said, "I don't think they'll trust me after... what I did to you."

"They don't know," Hiccup said with a chuckle, "the only ones who know you did it are Astrid and my father. The others don't know and never will."

"Astrid..." he mumbled, "she was here, I remember. She wanted to know if it was true... I told her... horrible things... I hope she can forgive me, someday."

"She will," Hiccup said, "I'll see to that. Great Hall when you're ready, okay?"

Wrenlou nodded, a faint smile tucking at the corners of his mouth. "Thank you..."

Hiccup simply nodded and left, leaving the door open. When he stepped outside Toothless came running up to him, bounding around him like a playful puppy.

"Come on guys," he said to the guards, "your service will no longer be needed. I want you to go to the Hall and join the briefing, I'll be there momentarily."

The guards shared confused glances but when he repeated his request they left. He sighed a little, running a hand through his hair, contemplating waiting for Wrenlou, but when Toothless nudged him away from the prison and towards the Hall he simply went with it.

"Hiccup! There you are!" Astrid called as he walked up the steps to the Hall, "I was starting to get worried."

"Don't be," he said with a chuckle, "I'm okay. Wrenlou is back to his old self, so that's good too. He'll be joining us shortly."

"You let him out?" Astrid asked in disbelief, "after what he did?"

"It wasn't his fault Astrid," Hiccup said, taking her hands, "you should be mad at Drago for making him to those things, not at Wren for having no choice."

"How can you say that..." she asked, "after... he whipped you..."

"Drago made him do it," he said, "do you think he wanted to do that? Do you think he liked it? Anything he told you was the drug talking, they were Drago's words, not his. He regrets what happened more than anyone, believe. Besides, had Drago or one of his men done it himself it might have been worse."

She grumbled a little, clearly not quite believing it. He smiled and gently lifted her chin with his thumb, looking into her eyes.

"Do not worry about me Milady," he said, kissing her cheek, "I will be alright."

She sighed and nodded a little, taking his hand in hers. She ran a finger over the rough callouses and scars on his palm, studying the worn lines of his skin.

"I can't help but worry..." she said softly, "I just don't want to lose you again."

"That will never happen," Hiccup said warmly, "I promise."

She looked up at him, opening her mouth to say something, but before she could something caught her eye.

"I thought you said Wrenlou was back to his normal self?" she asked, looking at Hiccup.

"He is, why?" Hiccup asked, looking back at her.

"Because that's him, leaving on Honeycomb!" Astrid nearly yelled and she pointed to the place where the amber Nadder had just taken flight.

Hiccup gasped when he saw the dragon leave, running to catch up. Before he could reach them the dragon and the figure on her back had disappeared into the clouds.

"I don't understand..." Hiccup said, "he... he was himself again... he was normal, I know he was..."

"Apparently he wasn't," Astrid said angrily, "he tricked you Hiccup, he played you. It seems that the drug will never wear off. We've lost him, face it. He's no longer on our side."

"No..." Hiccup mumbled, "he is on our side... he can't be lost... he didn't trick me.. he wouldn't, would he...?

"Face it, he tricked you," she said, "I should have known this wouldn't end well. I should have stopped you from going there! Now he's free and going back to Drago!"

"You don't know that..." Hiccup said, squinting as he moved closer to the ocean, "and besides, it doesn't matter if he played me or not... we have a much bigger problem."

"What's that supposed to mean!" Astrid said loudly, but he hushed her, pointing at the horizon.

She frowned and moved closer, squinting as he had, and when she saw what he meant her eyes widened. There were faint silhouettes in the fog that covered the water. Silhouettes of ships, black ships.

"Is that..." she gasped, and Hiccup nodded grimly.

"Drago is here," he said, "he's here. We've run out of time. Drago has arrived. We have a day, at most, before he reaches our shores. We are at war now."