Oop, I'm several days late. But I think the chapter was worth the wait. *slips back into the shadows laughing*
Hiccup realized his mistake the moment the kerosene gel coating Inferno's blade caught aflame. The brightness of the flames lit up the room like Fireworms in a dark underground cavern. He heard the gasps of stupefaction – saw the looks of mixed fear and wonder. They all whispered his title.
The Dragon Conqueror.
That was him.
But he didn't care about his mistake. He didn't care if they knew who he was and what that meant. He had to find Zephyr.
What happened next happened in a heartbeat. He watched the Berserker Soldiers approach him imposingly, pointing his way and demanding of Viggo's whereabouts. But before he could respond with words or a swing of Inferno, the two intruders were already being attacked by the rest of the crowd, clearly displeased with their mere presence. He twisted and turned in the chaos of moving Vikings, trying to catch a glimpse of his daughter. But he didn't get the opportunity to go anywhere when two sets of arms grabbed his from behind, dragging him away from the fight through the backdoor.
Hiccup struggled, trying to throw them off. Everything was happening too quickly for his mind to register as they forced him to move forward, taking him through dark alleys where no soul wandered voluntarily. He did not recognize where he was or what his captors' plan was. He figured he'd soon find out.
They neared a lone tent at the far end of an alleyway. The shouts of angry Vikings were far away now, and Hiccup tried looking over his shoulder to see if Viggo had managed to follow them undetected. But the passage was deserted.
"What are you looking at?" said one of the men before slamming his palm against the back of his head, forcing him to turn back around and face forward.
The blow left him disoriented and the next thing he knew, they were entering the tent. He felt a kick behind his leg and Hiccup fell to his knees, grunting in displeasure. He shook his head and blinked at the dim lighting before looking up at the being standing formally before him.
"My, Hiccup Haddock the Third himself..." spoke a woman's voice, and Hiccup stared up at her, baffled. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
He had to admit... a woman was not what he was expecting. He tried to recognize her, wondering if he ever met her before.
But the face was unfamiliar.
She was a tall, slender woman with long, auburn hair, tied in a single braid that rested on her shoulder. She had blue eyes and a purple scar-shaped tattoo over her right eye, similar to Dagur's. She wore black dragon scale armour with blue highlights and large shoulder pads with black spikes. She looked wealthy and not someone you wanted to mess with. Hiccup didn't need to ask if she was the leader of the movement...
"So," said Hiccup, his voice hoarse. He straightened up a little to regain some dignity, hands bound behind his back. "You're the one who's behind this whole organization..."
"The name's Maeve," she said, taking a step forward with her hands reached behind her back. She held her chin high; her expression stern. "I'm honoured my movement has finally gotten your attention."
"Well, it's hard to ignore rumours about a quest to hunt me down," said Hiccup, holding her stare.
"Yes, well, a necessary to reach as many Vikings all throughout the Archipelago and beyond, wouldn't you say?" said Maeve, reaching a hand forward to study her fingernails while smiling seductively. "Word travels fast, and far, I see."
"Whatever you're planning, Maeve-" started Hiccup, venom to his tone. But he didn't get the chance to finish when one of the guards struck him behind the head.
"You will address Madame Maeve by her full title, failed Chief," spat the soldier, towering over him, ready to land another blow should he be disrespectful again.
Hiccup bit his tongue, wishing he could give the soldier a taste of his own medicine. But he returned his attention back on Maeve instead, looking her in the eye.
"... I'm not the answer," he continued, taking a more polite tone of voice to avoid getting hit again. "And neither are the dragons. Trust me."
"I don't trust anyone, as anyone with an ounce of intelligence does," replied Maeve dryly.
"Then look at the logistic of it all," insisted Hiccup, trying to make her see. "Bringing the dragons back won't fix anything. I am the first person who wishes the dragons to return, believe me."
"But that's where you're wrong," she said, starting to circle him slowly as she explained her perspective. "Bringing the dragons back will fix everything. It's ironic, really... I spent my whole life despising these creatures. You see, I know what it's like to have nothing. I watched my family be taken by dragons. I lost everything." She paused, looking down, and turned back around to her captive, a look of disgust in the blue of her eyes. "But unlike you, I never forgave them."
Hiccup looked down, somewhat feeling sorry for her. He mentally slapped himself for it.
"I swore I would rid the world of dragons, or die trying," she added, and Hiccup saw the look on her face as memories played before her eyes.
"Then why go back on your promise?" asked Hiccup, genuinely curious.
"Life isn't as simple as it seems... it's quite ironic," she said. She studied him closely again, humming to herself. "You and I are very similar, Hiccup. But our journeys are poles apart. I was confronted with a decision, much like the stories they tell of you when you came upon that Night Fury of yours. You couldn't kill; you wouldn't kill. And neither could I. Having a dragon of my own allowed me to rise up until I was ruler as destined to be. It helped me see things differently. Dragons don't need to be erased, but used to our advantage."
Hiccup wasn't even taken aback that other Vikings had dragons of their own. He'd been surprised by it multiple times in the past. First Heather, the Defenders of the Wing, the Wingmaidens, his own mother... But at least these people - his friends and allies - they respected and treated their dragons as equals. Maeve probably did not. Just like Berserkers used Skrills as a weapon in ancient times, Meave probably used whatever dragon she had as a tool too... There was a lot about Meave he didn't know. He'd just met her, after all. But she was spilling out her life story already, and Hiccup couldn't help wonder where she'd been all this time and how come he'd never seen or heard of her until now.
"And for what?" spat Hiccup, growing outraged by her villainous idea to bring back the dragons just to enslaved them again, much like so many of his enemies had done before. "Conquering the world?"
"Why I was merely aiming to conquer the Archipelago, but... the world?" she said, joining her hands to her back again as she finally stopped before him. "Now that's a project."
"Yeah, take a number and get in line..." said Hiccup, rolling his eyes.
"Watch your mouth, logger blogger," spat the same guard. Hiccup ignored him.
"I wouldn't be so insolent if I were you," said Maeve. "The Great Dragon Conqueror, on his knees before me." She chuckled. "I wiser man would've remained in hiding if he'd heard the rumours of a manhunt with his name on it... Perhaps you're not as clever as the stories make you out to be. Tell me, why come out? Wait, don't tell me. Someone drew you out... yes, yes."
Hiccup's body language betrayed him when he fled her gaze and tightened his lips.
Viggo. Viggo drew him out. Thoughts of betrayal began invading his mind as he thought back on everything that had happened since the ex-Hunter's return.
"Aww, not to worry," reassured Maeve, crouching before him. She grabbed his chin delicately and forced him to look at her in the eyes. "I'll make sure they're well rewarded for their services."
"Madame Maeve," said one of the guards, requiring her attention. "There's someone who wishes to speak with you."
Hiccup pulled away from her aggressively, teeth bared. She straightened back up and looked at her guard.
"Let them in," she ordered, and the soldiers parted the curtain obediently.
In, walked Viggo Grimborn, holding Zephyr tightly by her wrist. Hiccup's heart dropped down to the pit of his stomach as fear and shock flashed across his face.
"Let me go!" cried out Zephyr, tugging and pulling helplessly.
"Zephyr!" shouted Hiccup, dread striking him like lightning feasting on metal.
"Now what do we have here?" said Maeve, moving past Hiccup to greet her new guests.
"Apologies for the disturbance, milady," said Viggo all too charmingly while he bowed his head. "There were... complications."
Hiccup stared at Viggo in disbelief, wishing he could strike the man down right here and now.
"Viggo Grimborn himself... I'm honoured," said Maeve. Hiccup could read her body language from the corner of his eye and caught the nervous stand. "It's not everyone who has the privilege to be in the presence of someone with a reputation such as yours."
"Likewise," replied Viggo, sharing a grin. "Your organization holds some promising aspects, I must say. And as a show of good faith, I bring you your missing puzzle piece." He cast a look at the Berkian Chief while Zephyr kept on struggling against his grip. He looked down at the little girl before shoving her to Maeve like she was nothing but a worthless asset.
"You're a fake, Viggo..." snarled Hiccup, looking at him sideways with daggers for eyes. Viggo circled him until he was facing him, towering over him. "I should've known. I should've known you were nothing but a lying, cheating, piece of—"
Viggo cut him off with a slam of his knee in the stomach. Zephyr tried to get to her father, but Maeve pulled her back roughly. Hiccup coughed, folding onto himself while he dealt with the pain. Maeve raised an eyebrow at Viggo, wondering.
"Tell me, Mister Grimborn," said Maeve. "How does one capture the most famous Viking in all of the Archipelago and beyond?"
Viggo scoffed, folding his arms over his chest while he looked down darkly at the ex-Rider.
"Hiccup and I have quite the history together, don't we?" said Viggo, smirking. Hiccup bared his teeth up at him, letting him know how much he loathed him. Viggo smiled wickedly and crouched before him. "And even after all this time, you still trusted me... I will admit, I expected more or you. You allowed your heart to cloud your mind. Though, I cannot complain; your trust was all I ever needed to make this plan work."
"But why this?" asked Hiccup, his hair dangling before his eyes.
"She's saved those of us you have put in poverty with your love of dragons," said Viggo, straightening back up.
"So that's what you've been up to these past 10 years?" said Hiccup, finally putting the pieces together. "You never really changed... All you ever wanted was power and wealth. I can't believe I ever believed a word you said..."
"Neither can I," said Viggo, chuckling mockingly. "But not to worry; if you collaborate well, we might just let you live."
"I will never help you..." snarled Hiccup.
"I've heard that one before," said Viggo, not too concerned. He turned to Maeve who shoved Zephyr his way. He grabbed her shoulder when she tried to slip away and placed a dagger to her throat. He turned to Hiccup, smiling while Zephyr froze in place. "How about now?"
Hiccup couldn't hide the terror that travelled his core. All sorts of emotions featured on his face. He couldn't risk a hair on her head. He couldn't say anything. No word on his part would change their minds.
So he steadily bowed down submissively.
"I knew we could make something work," said Viggo, smiling smugly as he withdrew his blade.
"What do you want?" whispered Hiccup, remaining in his position.
"What I want is my life back," said Viggo, scowling down at him, blaming him for all the unfortunate events that happened. "My tribe, my wealth, my title. You took everything from me. And now, you are going to help me get it all back, whether you like it or not." He knelt before him, pressing the cold flat side of his dagger against his cheek. "This will hurt less if you don't resist."
Hiccup glared.
"Oh, Hiccup, don't look so morose," said Viggo. "How about a little gratitude instead, hmm?"
He straightened back up, sheathing his dagger.
"So this is what it's come down to, huh?" said Hiccup, an edge of disappointment to his tone.
"Don't blame yourself too much," said Viggo. "You could never catch up anyway. Maces and Talons is a strategy game. In order to ensure total victory, you must be several steps ahead of your opponents."
He pulled out a game piece of Maces and Talons, holding it before him in the warm glow of the lantern overhead. Hiccup stared up at the piece of marble.
The Viking Chief.
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH
FYI, Maeve is a character from the game "Dragons: Titan Uprising". You can look her up if you want more on her character. I think she's pretty cool. And as for Viggo... who would've thought. HAHAHA you guys fell for it