THIRTY FIVE: Stab the Heart

"Oh good-a subpoena," Fishlegs commented as he opened the official letter that had been couriered to the house. Hiccup looked up, skating through his emails as they sat companionably in his office, dealing with business.

"Oh?"

"Yup." The husky lawyer checked his watch. "And exactly one hour ahead of schedule."

"I like it when an enemy is prompt," the billionaire chuckled. "What's it for?"

"Eligibility hearing for the Elections for First Minister," Fishlegs read. He frowned. "And he wants to do this in open court?"

"He wants to make sure that everyone knows that the great, generous philanthropist Tallon Fury can never be their First Minister," Hiccup told him with a small smile. Casually, he scooped up his coffee and grimaced at the cold liquid. How long had he been waiting for the courier? "A court of law is a very public place to stop me in my tracks-and all executed through the blind sword of justice."

"Which will decapitate him without him ever seeing it coming," Fishlegs replied, his broad face split by a grin. Hiccup nodded slowly.

"You have the arguments and proofs ready?" he asked.

"They were ready before you ever announced your candidacy," the lawyer reminded him. "You always knew it would come to this with Viggo. You knew he would never allow any challenger and you've done everything to prod him into action." Hiccup's emerald eyes narrowed and he turned to stare out of the window.

"I did what I needed doing to manoeuvre him to this point," he said in an icy voice. "Because he has manoeuvred others and discarded them just like trash. He lied to me and when he said he was going to apply for leniency: instead he set me up. He petitioned for life in prison for me to cover for his and his brother's treason in supporting Drago. And then he took everything from my family as well. So I want to face him in court and I want to stare into his fucking eyes as I see everything he has built and stolen ripped from him!" He turned back. "I want to watch him break and finally learn what it's like to lose everything."

oOo

A pair of legs stuck out from the belly of Tallon Fury's personal helicopter as Cami fiddled to smooth out a slight timing issue with the engines. It wouldn't be obvious to anyone else-except maybe Tallon-but Cami was aware of it and she wanted to be in perfect readiness. If Viggo or his friends tried anything else, she didn't want any doubts in her mind that the 'copter would perform perfectly and keep him safe.

She paused and stared at the mechanism above her, her blue eyes unfocussing. The Archipelago was a confusing mix of modern and traditional, the central government striving to be a modern Nordic administration with high standards of welfare, social justice and equality but each island clung to its past ferociously. Camicazi Sif Freya Amelia Dagmarson Berthsadottir was a case in point, the only daughter of the hereditary ruling family of Bog Island and expected to assume the leadership of her people when she came of age. Bogs were a Matriarchal society, ferociously independent and proud of their no-nonsense feminist ethos but Cami had always wanted more. She had studied as her mother would have expected but in truth, her heart had always been seeking the horizon and instead of going to college, she had gone travelling and out there, she had joined the Joint Archipelago Air Force. All of her sense of duty and adventure had been sated by the choice and she had risen quickly up the ranks, learning to fly anything and everything. Her natural outgoing personality and quick wits had served her well and when her contract had been up after almost a decade, she had returned home with more skills and experiences than she could have imagined. And kicking around back on Bog had eventually brought her into contact with Tallon Fury, a man who intrigued and confused her. And who sometimes-as now-frustrated her beyond words.

"Someone needs a coffee," a familiar voice said and she slid out to see Ruff crouched down, a steaming mug in her hands. Irrespective of the fact it was a warm summer's day outside the hanger, Ruff brought her a coffee every time she was working on the engines. Somehow, the two women had bonded, for neither was a girly girl and they were surrounded almost exclusively by singular and eccentric men in Fury's inner circle. Grinning, she accepted as she sat up and she nodded.

"Thanks," she said and sighed. "I see you didn't let Tuff near the machine."

"Well, I like you so I really don't want your heart exploding from excessive caffeine intake," Ruff smirked.

"I resent the implication that my barista skills are anything less than stellar!" Tuff protested, walking in with a huge steaming mug of coffee. "My own bespoke blend. The Holy Grail of the coffee connoisseur's palate: Tuffblend." And to make a point, he took a huge sip. Then his face froze and he forced himself to swallow. Brow furrowed, Ruff walked up to him.

"Are you crying?" she asked him. He swallowed and his face went red, tears streaking his flushed cheeks.

"Perfect," he choked hoarsely. "Very…smooth…"

"Are your hands shaking?"

"No…that is a perfectly natural caffeine tremor…" Tuff mumbled, almost unable to hold his mug due to the massive caffeine hit.

"What are you muttonheads doing?" Snotlout sighed, walking in with a bottle of sparkling water. "It's almost thirty degrees outside and you idiots are on coffee? Unless it's iced and Tuff hasn't been anywhere near, I'm sticking to water!"

"No one asked you…" Tuff coughed, absently taking another sip of his clearly horrible coffee. He almost choked. Perching on the workbench, Snotlout glanced around.

"You should," he said seriously. "Now can we get on with this? He's not gonna be in with Fish forever?" Frowning, Cami got up and scowled at him.

"What are you up to?" she asked suspiciously. Her fierce loyalty wouldn't contemplate any action against her friend-though she, as everyone, was getting concerned as he descended deeper and deeper into his revenge.

"We gotta have a word about the Gronckle in the room," Ruff said as everyone concentrated.

"Which is?" Cami asked.

"The kids," Snot replied, his blue eyes concerned. "I think we're all convinced that there is an issue there." Tuff sighed.

"You spotted it the first time we met Fink," he reminded her. "The boy has Ingen's eyes."

"Yeah," Cami conceded. "And he's sassy and brave like Tallon as well. But his sister…"

"She's auburn," Ruff said.

"And there're a lot of red-heads in Berk," Cami pointed out.

"Not so many," Snot replied. "And she's his colour. She's left-handed like Tallon…"

"So are one in ten people," Ruff noted.

"…and she's artistic. Very artistic. I mean, Astrid has the artistic aptitude of a brick and Eret is a liar and a user but not an artist. In fact, he has done everything to discourage Zephyr…" Snotlout continued. Cami sat back in the open door to the cabin and sighed.

"What aren't you telling us, Snot?" she asked him thoughtfully. "I mean, you know Tallon from way back. You're his cousin, aren't you?" The stocky man nodded.

"I know we all care for Tallon," he said pensively. "And I am grateful you have respected his desire to leave his former life behind and haven't pried. And…I don't want to say too much. But…" He stared at his feet. "I think he's not seeing the obvious."

"Which is…?" Cami asked, her mind already treacherously joining the dots.

"The kids are Tallon's, not Eret's," Ruff said.

"Without giving everything away-because I know he's kept his former life secret and you have all honoured his wishes-Tallon and Astrid were together before he was betrayed," Snotlout admitted. "Look, I wasn't that close to him but I knew they were in love. Crazy, mad, hopelessly love. He never wanted to spend his life with anyone else and I know she felt the same. Thor, they had been together as friends then lovers for years, close to a decade. He was planning to propose…he'd asked me if I would be his best man if he hypothetically asked so I knew he was thinking about it." He gave a small smile. "I had said yes as well. I think he just wanted to get financially stable…and he was almost there, until Eret took it all."

"Freya," Cami murmured. Snotlout nodded.

"But I knew he and Astrid were at it like rabbits," he said with a wry smile. " So I asked Fink when his birthday was."

"May 29th," Tuff supplied unexpectedly. "I asked as well-and sent him and Zeph presents when they turned seventeen."

"Me too," Ruff added.

"And me," Snot sighed. "But that means that they were born about 230 days after he was arrested." They stared at him in surprise. "Human gestation is about 280 days. They were born about five weeks early because they were twins and Astrid was really sick during the pregnancy."

"Meaning they were conceived when Tallon and Astrid were still together," Cami murmured.

"He could argue that she was betraying him with Eret," Ruff pointed out.

"Would never happen," Snot said levelly. "Look, I can't understand why she married him but Astrid is very like you, Cami. Ferociously loyal, brave, determined…she would never have slept with Eret while she was with H…Tallon. Thor, she would have emasculated him if he even tried! I can only guess that she only did that when all hope of getting…Tallon out was lost and he was declared dead. And I guess neither one knew about them when he was arrested-or they would have brought it up at the trial as mitigation. I guess that the jury wouldn't have sent him away to Jotunheim if they had known. Berk law always takes family into account-and if there are children or potential children involved, he would have been imprisoned closer to home and would have had a chance to appeal and to see them."

"Then why doesn't Tallon…" Tuff asked. "I mean, we all suspected…"

"He doesn't believe it is possible so he will ignore all evidence to the contrary," Snotlout sighed. "He has an internal narrative that he clings to since he learned of her betrayal. And nothing can shift him once he's made up his mind. He's stubborn as a rock!"

"That's for sure," Ruff murmured.

"Tyrant," Tuff agreed. Snotlout rolled his eyes.

"But for Tallon, the only truth, the only reality is that Astrid betrayed him and married Eret, the man who stole everything from him. They had two children together. The children are Eret's…even though they bear him no resemblance at all! And there is no other possible explanation of what happened. His whole mindset and revenge is based on that belief. He can't contemplate any other reality."

"There's none so blind as will not see," Cami murmured. "A favourite saying of my Mom-and her best friend, the former Mayor of Berk."

"Stab the body and it heals but injure the heart and the wound lasts a lifetime," Ruff quoted slowly. "He's blinded by his pain at her betrayal. He still spoke of her on the Barf'n'Belch when we rescued him. It was the only time when he looked truly happy. There was such…love in his voice. But when he came back from Berk, it was gone. Not just at the loss of his father but he never spoke of her again, except with hatred. And though I think he's feeling sorry for her, he's clinging to his pain like grim death. It's what he's clung to as his worst betrayal."

"He knows we were told he had died," Snotlout mused. "Astrid may have been desperate. She doesn't love Eret-that much is certain. She loves her children."

"And she will do whatever she needs to do to protect them," Cami pointed out. "Which may include betraying Tallon again." She sighed. "I know you want this to be a happy ending but Tallon suffered. He's got scars-we know that from seeing him, day to day. Obvious ones, like his leg. And the invisible ones…how many times has he woken screaming? How many times have one of us gone in there and tried to comfort him. What happened to that man was a scandal, a shame upon this country and upon humanity!" She shook her head, her hard expression softening again. "But the feminist in me says she was wronged as well."

"I don't think she wants anyone's pity," Ruff murmured. "I think she's only worried about her kids. Zephyr is going to be given to Johann…I think we all know that. Even though it's the twenty-first century! And Fink…well, Eret hates the boy. I have no idea what will happen but it may damage him irreparably."

"He has us," Tuff commented quietly. "And we will do whatever to save him…from whatever Eret plans for him."

"You know, Tallon said the same thing-which is why Heather almost lost her mind," Ruff sighed. "She's another problem."

"And I think that one may be insoluble," Snotlout sighed, running his hand over his face. "I'll speak to Dagur when he's back. He may have some suggestions."

"But the only cure will be final proof that he doesn't love her," Cami sighed. "And he's told her several times but she just won't listen."

"He won't see that the twins are almost certainly his-and she won't hear him telling her that he doesn't look at her, think of her like that," Ruff groaned. "What can we do with them?"

"Lock them in a room until they realise their mutual…" Tuff suggested and then stopped as the others glared at him. "What? That always works in the movies!"

"And all it would do is hurt Heather worse because her love is unrequited," Cami groaned. "Look, I know her better than the rest of you. I'll try to talk to her…again."

"We need to prove that the kids are Tallon's," Snotlout murmured. "That may give Tallon the legal authority to stop Johann getting his hands on Zephyr and Fink the option to choose who he lives with."

"Maybe taking the children from Astrid may appeal to his desire for revenge?" Snotlout suggested but the twins shook their heads solemnly, the identical movements incredibly eerie.

"He's a fugitive from justice," Ruff reminded him.

"He called himself Ingen because he needs to leave his name behind," Tuff agreed. "He said his name would have to remain dead until he was cleared."

"And what he said meant that he didn't believe that was ever possible," Ruff added. "So he can't ever use a paternity test to take the kids and protect Zephyr-because they would arrest him as a prison escapee. And no matter how horribly he suffered, what good he has done-they would put him back inside. And I think that would kill him." Snotlout drained his water bottle.

"It would," he sighed and shook his head. "So we don't use the paternity test to save Zephyr…directly. But we use it to prove they are his." They stared. "He already loves those kids-I know he doesn't acknowledge that but he would do anything to protect the. Zephyr told Dagur and the police that he protected her, took a beating for her. Gods, he's an idiot…"

"…but he's our idiot," Cami sighed. "Okay. You two-get samples from Fink and Zephyr. Blood, hair, saliva…something we can use. I'll sneak into his room and steal his toothbrush. He'll just blame you two for it anyway…"

"Thanks," Ruff replied ironically.

"I resent the implication…but thanks," Tuff added.

"Fish can organise the DNA test," Cami decided. "He's got access to Tallon's resources as his attorney…"

"If he'll help…" Snot commented. "He may decide attorney-client privilege overrides our duty as his friends…"

"He'll help," Ruff told him firmly. "Or I'll withhold snuggling privileges…"

"…and I could have gone my entire life without hearing those words," Tuff sighed. "You brazen hussy!"

"Dreadlocked weirdo."

"Stinky-haired slapper…"

"ENOUGH!" Cami snapped, finishing her coffee and putting her mug down with a hard bang. The twins both jumped and glared at her. "Fish will help because he cares for Tallon as much as we all do. We keep this a secret from Tallon, though. It may be we need to prove that he has to help the kids at some point…though I doubt he would ever let them suffer for the sins of their parents. He's a good man, who has lost far more than anyone deserved and he would never abandon them. And though he has gained a lot, there are some things that money cannot buy. Including time with his children and the woman he once loved."

Snotlout walked to her side and unexpectedly gave her a hug.

"Thanks," he murmured. "My cousin can't do this because he doesn't know-but one day, we will let him know he has a family." She chuckled and hugged him back.

"You know, you may be a bit of an ass sometimes-but your heart is in the right place," she told him. "You're wrong though." He pulled back.

"I am?"

"He already has a family," she told him, gesturing to the twins, who were bickering, foreheads pressed together as they glared eye to eye. "His found family of people who would do anything for him-because he would and has done everything for us. And all we want is to ensure he gets back whatever he can from the horrible wrongs he has suffered. So even though he believes against all evidence that the kids aren't his, maybe he will relent when he realises that they deserve him as well as he deserves them. And that no matter what his broken heart believes, he has a real family as well."

A/N: 'Stab the body…" quotation by Mineko Iwasaki.