Chapter 14

*strong T for violence*

Stoick's large weathered hands cradled the picture of Astrid, Dagur and Thuggory. A small smile on his face as he stared at the photograph. Everyone in the room watching him as he sat in silence. Obviously lost in his thoughts.

"This was a good day." He said quietly in his thick accent. He lifted his head slightly and looked straight at Astrid, "that brother of yours was one Hel of a soldier." Astrid gave him a single nod before looking away from her spot leaning against the wall.

Looking back down at the picture Stoick let out a weary sigh. He knew this day would come–should have come years ago–and yet…he had no idea how to go about telling her. He looked up at Heather, her eyebrows in a steady furrow as she stared him down. Her frame tense and unyielding, even as her boyfriend Fishlegs gently held her hand in his large ones. She didn't even acknowledge him. All her attention solely on him.

"This was a good day," he repeated, "we worked so hard for this moment. For when we could say we did it…it was over." He shook his head gently, "but it's never really over is it?" Stoick looked past all the college students and to the only other soldiers in the room. Finn and Astrid Hofferson. Who held his gaze in understanding. They too knew that no matter how many battles they won there would always be another waiting on the horizon. It never ended. The loss. The pain. The death.

He looked down again at the photo–a good day–and let out a sigh. "This was the day that we brought down The Scorched Skins. The same group that killed your Father, Heather, and leveled Berserker Island to the ground." Collective gasps could be heard around the room beside the two people bearing the same last name.

Heather's glare broke as her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Stoick shifted his eyes from her to his Son. Hiccup bore a similar expression, complete and utter shock over hearing the truth about Heather's past.

Stoick let out a sigh. "You're Father contacted me all those years ago asking for my help," he began. "He had knowledge that there was a rebel group on the island planning on over throwing him. Unfortunately for Oswald, Berserker was a peaceful island so he had very few means of fending off a large scale hostile take over. I arrived by boat the next day." Stoick sighed again and ran his large hand over his eyes and down his beard, displaying his exhaustion outwardly as he did.

"We decided to get you and your brother out that night, Berks military would come in the next day. Evacuate citizens and help Oswald weed out the rebels."

"But–but that's not what happened…" Heather whispered out in a shaky tone. Still digesting the information that she heard and how it differed from the actual events of that fateful day and what she had known to be the truth.

"No it is not…"

. . . . .

Flashback

Stoick raced towards the ajar large wooden door of Oswald's room. He had been gathering his things to leave when he had heard the piercing scream from down the hallway. Turning his blood cold and spurring his quick immediate movements. With no regard for what could be inside he ran straight into the room, his side arm drawn and ready. What he saw inside stopped him in his tracks and ripped the breath out of his lungs.

There in the middle of the room was Dagur screaming into the bloodied chest of his Father. Dagur's arms were wrapped protectively around Oswald, pressing the two men completely against one another–paying no regard to the blood slowly covering him and floor.

In his shock Stoick pulled his eyes away from the pair and looked around the room, immediately locating another body close to the open balcony doors. The night air taking advantage of the opening, as it gently pushed the large drapes covering the balcony doors into the room. As they fluttered back and forth they skimmed across the dead man, mostly obscuring him from the neck up.

"I-I heard a n-noise and f-found…" Dagur stuttered out in an uncharacteristically soft voice. Bringing Stoick's attention back to the Father and Son.

Stoick took a large shuddering breath and stepped closer to the pair until he was beside them. Holstering his side arm he knelt down and brought a hand up to his friends neck. Blood covering his fingers. He pressed firmly but felt nothing–absolutely nothing. Dropping his hand and gaze simultaneously he let out a choked whoosh of air. Stoick suppressed the sobs threatening to escape, knowing now was not the time for him to break down. He could mourn his friend later, when he had Dagur and Heather safe.

"Dagur," he began slowly his voice not yet able to speak properly. "We have to go, Son. I'll gather Heather and then we have to leave just like your Father wished. We've run out time." As if on cue an explosion was heard outside. Drawing both of their attentions, from the balconies opening they could see the bright fire of the burning homes in the distance and hear the screaming of the Berserker citizens.

In a much more urgent tone Stoick addressed the young man again, "come on Dagur! They'll be here–"

"I'm not leaving." He quietly said, interrupting Stoick.

Taken aback, Stoick took a moment to respond. "Dagur, you cannot stay. They will kill you!

"No they won't."

Stoick grasped Dagur's shoulders tightly drawing his attention away from his Father's body and up to him. "Yes. Yes they will. They will murder you just like…" Stoick looked down at his dead friend. Who no longer was in his Son's grasp but now placed carefully on the floor between them. "I won't let you die, Dagur."

Dagur slowly lifted his head, his green eyes now unusually cold, no longer holding their normal expressive mirth. Streaks of his Father's blood covered his left eye, giving his already deadly look an almost feral tinge. For a brief moment Stoick felt an unfamiliar flash of fear race through him. Something he had never experienced from the joyfully happy boy.

"I won't die…because they will welcome me with open arms." He said in a frighteningly monotone way.

"But–" another explosion rocked the city.

"Tell them that I killed my Father…tell everyone…" Stoick's eyes widened in realization of what Dagur was planning. An incredibly insane plan, one that would be impossible to come back from. Leaving him forever branded as a murder and traitor.

Shaking his head rapidly, Stoick's grip grew tighter. "No Dagur, No! Even if you kill these bastards you won't be able to go back on this. A lie this big–you'll be a wanted man for the rest of your life."

Dagur's gaze never wavered for a second as he stared at Stoick. His decision made. "Take care of Heather." He said before he quickly stood, leaving his Father's body and Stoick on the ground. As he reached the still ajar door Dagur paused and turned.

"I'll contact you when I can. Protect her…please Stoick." He said before turning and heading out into the hallway. No longer Dagur Berserk…now Dagur the Deranged.

. . . . .

"...Once he left I headed straight to your room Heather. Found you under the bed, remember?" Heather gave a slight head nod, still far to shocked by what she had just heard to answer.

"So Dagur lied about killing his Father so he could infiltrate the men who did kill him?" Hiccup jumped in an asked, only receiving a single nod from his Father. Narrowing his eyes down at the picture in his Father's hands, he felt like something wasn't adding up.

"Wait if he killed those men several years ago…then why–"

"–Is he still a 'criminal'?" Stoick asked finishing his thought. "Like I said Son, there was no coming back from that decision. Once you've got that sort of label there's no changin' it. Anyways it's not like he's earned the reputation he has by being an alter boy."

"So he is a criminal." Fishlegs chimed in from beside his now almost comatose girlfriend. Her eyes wide and distant, staring at no spot in particular on the floor.

Unable to take anymore of their assumptions Astrid stepped away from the wall. Despite Stoick's connections to Dagur's earlier life, Astrid now knew him far better than anyone else in the room.

"Look, General Haddock is right. Dagur has led a far from innocent life, doing things that are easily looked at as criminal and deplorable acts…but so have I." She said the last part quietly, though everyone in the room had easily heard it.

"The only difference between us it that I have the shield of Berk protecting me, he doesn't…at least not publicly." Astrid moved quietly closer to them, specifically one person. Shifting her dress as she crouched down in front of Heather, Astrid locked her eyes with Heather's vivid green ones. Which were finally starting to clear as she listened to the other girls words.

"Heather your Brother maybe labeled a criminal but I can assure you he has never killed an innocent man, woman or child. He only goes after those who he deems as 'bad' and 'evil' and do you know why he does all of that?" She shook her head slowly.

"For you. He's could have just disappeared after he killed the leader of the Scorched Skins but he didn't because he wanted to make the Archipelago safe…for you." Astrid and the others sat in silence for a moment waiting for Heather to say something–anything. Suddenly she did and it was far from what Astrid expected.

"What happened that day?" She quietly but firmly asked.

"What day?" Astrid asked tentatively. She couldn't possibly mean…

Pointing at the picture still Stoick's hands, "that day. Tell me how you killed them." Blue eyes widened and darted to her General. Who looked just as shocked.

"Um Heather…I…" Astrid turned back to Heather, who's face now held an unwavering look of determination on it.

"Tell me what happened that day, Astrid. Those men…they destroyed my life. I deserve to know how they died." Astrid's eyes darted away from Heather's once again this time falling on Hiccup. Instead of looking shocked like the rest of the group he had a look of understanding and sympathy on his face as he stared at his friend. He of all people understood wanting to get resolution for events of their past.

Their eyes finally met and Astrid instantly felt the calm that resided in his gaze. Giving her the little bit of strength she needed to do this. She knew that telling Heather the truth would reveal more about her then she maybe comfortable with at the moment but the other girl deserved the truth. The whole truth. No matter if it made the others look at her different, knowing the depths of depravity she had and could still go to during a mission. Or how painful invoking those memories were for her. Heather deserved to know.

Closing her eyes she gave a small nod, a loud grunt from her Uncle drew her attention away from Heather. Finn Hofferson glared at her with angry eyes. Clearly not happy with her spilling information about past missions. "She deserves to know. I think we're past the secrets now, don't you think? Sir?"

She didn't wait for a response before turning back to Heather. "It was three years ago and General Haddock is right. It was a good day. A day we had been working toward for so long."

. . . . .

Flashback

"The sunsets sure are pretty this far south." Astrid said as her black boots dangled off the rooftop she currently sat on.

"Well as pretty as they maybe that doesn't change the fact that I'm currently sweating my ass off at almost seven at night. I'd much rather be more up north." Said the male sitting next to her, his booted feet dangling off the stone rooftop in a similar manner.

"Stop complaining Thug, we'll be out of here by tomorrow…well...that's if Dag hasn't already planned a week long celebration." Thuggory let out a quiet chuckle.

"Oh one can only hope he's planning a party. I still can't remember at least two days of my life when he had the last one." Astrid rolled her eyes but couldn't fight off the grin that spread on her face. Neither her or her brother had any shame in the fact that they liked to enjoy their free time when they received it. Though he preferred to spend it on booze and women. Where she enjoyed shiny weapons and thrill seeking. Though she did enjoy the booze as well, just not as much as all the men around her.

The two siblings watched silently as the sun make its final decent past the outlying mountain range. Casting the city and building the we're currently on into a deepening darkness. Letting out a large sigh, Thuggory stood up. Stretching his muscles and adjusting his tactical gear as he did. "Bout that time Sis." He said extending a hand out towards her. Gratefully accepting it he helped hoist Astrid to her feet.

"Yup, that it is. Do we need to go over the plan again?" She shifted her bullet proof vest and checked the two loaded handguns strapped to each hip. Not her preferred weapon of choice but for the current mission it was the best choice.

"I go low, you go high–wait for my signal. Easy." He shrugged, describing the plan as if it was akin to a walk in the park. Not like what it actually was, killing an entire building full of men.

She rolled her eyes at her brother and nodded, "Yeah just like that bro. And remember…"

"Dramatic flair." They both said at the same time, laughing. Identical grins lighting their faces.

Thuggory was the first to stop laughing and drop his grin, extend his arm he placed his fist between them. "For Dagur."

Astrid made a fist with her gloved hand as well and gently bumped it into his. "For Dagur." Nodding, Thuggory moved towards the fire escape, shouldering his mat black rifle, which he had affectionately named meathead. Stepping out onto the creaking metal he stopped and turned to look over his shoulder. "Always, Sis."

Without missing a beat Astrid responded back, "always, Thug." He grinned before disappearing out of sight. Astrid turned away from the side of the building and back to the large skylight she planned on making her grand entrance through soon. The glass was filthy and almost opaque but she could still make out some details in the room. The large table positioned directly under the glass. The men that sat around it and the several guards who stood positioned around the room. Five tops but she couldn't be sure. Walking away from the window, Astrid double checked her rigging that she had attached to some metal pipes. The last thing she needed was for it to come loose and for her to fall into the room making an ass out of herself. The guys would never let her live that one down.

Suddenly she heard the rapid sound of bullets piercing the air. Thuggory's in. She thought as she clicked the heavy duty carabiner to her belt and walked back to the skylight. She saw the commotion in the room bellow, the high ranking men all standing at attention at the sounds. Which were growing closer and closer to the room that they were in. The man at the head of the table barking orders to the guards in the room moving most of them towards the rooms single entrance.

Making my job easy for me I see. She thought with a smirk. Then just as quickly as the hail of bullets had started they stopped. Leaving the building eerily quiet. On cue a distinctive voice rang out of her earpiece. "It's go time, Sis." She didn't bother responding, instead picked up the full masked helmet off the ground and lowered it over her face. Again she preferred to go without this type of gear but protecting her eyes from flying glass trumped comfort and fashion.

Getting into position she pointed her two guns straight down at the skylight and pulled the triggers in rapid succession shattering the glass, before diving through the opening head first. Spinning on her rope in the air Astrid fired at the guards still positioned around the room and near the double door entrance. Her bullets slicing threw them without a care. Blood spraying the walls behind them. Once she was sure all the armed men had fallen into boneless heaps on the floor, Astrid stopped her morbid display of acrobatics and ceased spinning. Holstering her guns, she detached herself from the rope, doing a slight flip in the air before her black combat boots landed loudly on the wooden table.

Lifting off her helmet, she shook out hair quickly. Her braid flipping from side to side. Without the cumbersome helmet impeding her view Astrid could now fully appreciate the looks of shock and horror on the men's faces around her. A pleased grin sliding into place.

"Good evening gentlemen," she began as she walked effortlessly on the table. "So sorry to intrude, but I'm here on behave of someone who wishes to have a meeting with all of you." None of the men made a move to reply still frozen in place around the table.

Astrid clapped happily, staying in character as she prepared to dish out a whole heaping of dramatic flair on these bastards. "Well if there's no objections allow me to introduce to you the man of the evening." She began to pace slowly around the table, meeting the eyes of everyone sitting there. "A man whose laugh can strike fear into the hearts of the of strongest men, he is said to be a descendent directly from the mighty Skrill, he's escaped three prisons and has spit directly in the eye of Stoick Haddock." Astrid stopped her pacing on the table, "gentlemen prepare yourselves for the slayer of men, the cracker of skulls, the pleaser of women," she crouched down in front of a particularly stiff looking man. Gently running her gloved finger down his cheek. "And men," She gave him a wink before standing back up.

"The one. The only. DAGUR THE DERANGED!" Astrid pointed dramatically to the doors and on cue they swung open revealing the man of the hour. Dagur the Deranged. Standing firm, both muscular hands planted on his hips with a wicked grin on his face. Confidently he strode into the room, Thuggory following close behind.

Walking to the edge of the table Astrid extended her hand, Dagur eagerly taking it as she jumped down. "Thank you for that lovely introduction my dear." He gave her a tweak to her cheek as he winked at her. A genuine grin spreading on her face. She loved making her friend happy.

"For you Dagur, Always." She dramatically bent at the waist and turned to the double doors. Standing beside them.

"D-Dagur, what is the meaning behind this?" The man at the head of the table asked. Finally breaking from his shock.

Dagur chuckled maniacally to himself, "I'm so glad you asked Magnus. I would like to tell you all a little story." Turning towards Astrid, he gestured to the doors.

"My Deadly little Valkyrie would you mind shutting the doors. I don't want anyone interrupting our story time." Astrid nodded obediently and grabbed ahold of both doors pulling them closed, as Dagur began his tale. Shutting out the world as she locked the doors, the evil men never seeing beyond those four walls ever again.

. . . . .

The only sound Astrid heard when she finished were that of Heather's loud sobs. The rest of the room was silent, eerily silent.

Standing quickly from her spot in front of Heather, Astrid could feel the tale tale tinges of overwhelming sadness began to flood her. Reliving too much of her past for one night, she walked away from the group. Only stopping when the distinctive nasally voice of Hiccup called out to her.

"Wait–Astrid…what are you–" Hiccup's voice cut through the silent room.

Astrid stopped briefly, never turning to face him, before she gave him a subtle shake of her head and continued walking. Disappearing through a doorway and out of sight of the group.

Hiccup watched her leave, debating if he should follow her. Suddenly feeling a large hand of his Father on his shoulder, drawing his attention away from the closed door.

"Let her be, Son. Let her be." Hiccup let out a sigh and nodded, walking away.

So a few things about this chapter, Astrid going through the sky light and shooting while suspended in the air was inspired by a scene from The Boondock Saints. One of my favs.

Also Dagur's introduction by Astrid was inspired by the character Geoffrey Chaucer from A Knights Tale, when he would introduce Heath Ledger's character. Another great movie. I figured a few of you might make those connections so I wanted to point them out.

I hope you liked the little glimpse into Astrid's past. Her relationship with Dagur is probably going to be my favorite part of writing this…well beside the build up for her and Hiccup.

As always thank you so much for The reviews, favorites and follows!