Odin's Trial III: TRUTH of ACT

Warning: mature content


Hiccup didn't know what was worse. The feeling of the interminable free- fall, a feeling that he should now be used to, yet somehow, in this cavern below the sea, it still felt his heart was going to jump out of his mouth. The only comforting thing about that fall was Astrid clinging tightly to him or was he holding her with all his might. Jerking his body, Hiccup twisted them so that he will be the one to break the fall.

The dazzling wind was abruptly switched by cold, salty, and foamy water. Momentarily stunned by the shock, Hiccup quickly recovered, already complaining about the bruises his back will sport in the next few days.

After fighting uselessly against the current, the small yet powerful stream carried the pair of Vikings into an artificial lake, where they swam to the shore.

Coughing a bit, and relieved to finally breathe in some fresh air, the pair of Vikings swiftly scanned their surroundings. Around them was granite stone, polish by the humidity in the air, the smooth surface only broken by another cave-like entrance located behind them. and at their foot was the underground lake, who glowing of that eerie luminescence that reminding them of the Flightmare Algae.

"You're alright?" Hiccup asked

"Yeah" Astrid responded while twisting her hair to get the water out. "Thanks, by the way."

"It's nothing." Hiccup replied.

"The last trial?" Astrid added cheerfully"

"The last trial" Hiccup sighed.

Taking one last look at the cavern to make sure they didn't miss anything important, Astrid and Hiccup walked into the deep corridor.

A few moments later, they arrived at the end of the corridor, which was split into two pathways. On the wall in front of them was placed a small hollow altar which the same luminous algae were place, giving just enough light to for them to read the engraving on the walls.

Trust is blind and armorless.

Let the gods witness one cutting away the blood tie

As one regains his truth of act.

"So…" Astrid trailed "What does this mean?" She shifted her weight between her legs.

Hiccup read the inscription again, making sure he was not mistaken, a wave of heat suddenly traveled down his spine. No, this couldn't be.

"I don't really know..." Hiccup replied awkwardly. Mechanically, his hand went up to his neck, scratching it.

Taking a deep breath, Astrid asked. "Do we have to get naked?"

"I think so." Hiccup replied, looking down, "Listen, Astrid, you don't have to do this, not for me. We can still go back."

"Hiccup," Astrid replied earnestly, anchoring her hand on his shoulder. "There is no one in this world that I will want to do this more than you. Besides, you bought to see me naked one day." She forced enthusiasm in her tone, accompanied by a wink. Her strength was more than crucial now

For some reason, her words made his blood flow in one direction. Shakily gasping for air,

"Wha… what ?"

"Besides, how are we going to go back?" Astrid answered cheekily. She kinda liked Hiccup flustered all over.

"You may have a point here." Hiccup answered when his mind came back into his skull.

"So, I guess we just split up now," added him.

Half crouching fit into the narrow pathway, Astrid finally arrived into an alcove where she could stand up to her full height. Again, the same altar was lighting the space up. Looking around, she found the picture of a person graved into the stone, and underneath it, a small stream was flowing quietly.

Beside the picture were some more runes. Upon deciphering it, it reads

Here you retrieved the blood tie

Let the other cut it off with the shared blade.

You shall not speak nor guide.

Placing her hand in the stream, Astrid fell back and quickly retrieved her hand, as it was filled with some blood-sucking worm. She remembers being bitten by one of these, and it took her mother chopping it to piece to remove it from her skin.

Taking a deep breath, she first decided to shed her clothes. Shivering lightly underneath the sudden change of temperature, she carefully dabbed her hand into the small stream. Swiftly pinching one of this blood-sucking parasite between her fingers, she at first wondered where to put it before her eyes fell onto the engraving.

"Are you kidding me?" She yelled out of indignation when she worked out that the arrow was supposed to indicate where she should place the worm.

•—0—•

Astrid progressed in the tight corridor, turns after turns, the light started to fade, and, after one faithful right turn, she was surrounded by complete darkness. She stilled, not knowing what to do. At the same time, she heard another presence in front of her. Remembering the engravings, she walked slowly, sliding her feet on the ground. She heard the other being doing the same. Quickly both made it to the center of the small room. She reached out her hand, a bit too quickly and they met some hard yet soft.

Ouch Hiccup bit back the yell when he received a hit in the jaw. He too had read the exact same engraving in his own corridor. Hesitantly reaching out in front of him, he was quickly met with something smooth and silky. Astrid's hair. In the meantime, Astrid pated the figure in front of her, and unless she was soundly mistaken, Hiccup was right in front of her. His silence only confirmed that he too, couldn't talk at all; and by all logic, he should have a blood worm somewhere on his body. Perhaps in the same place?

The two Vikings stood there, right in front of each other, each could feel the other's breath dancing lightly on their skin, leaving a slightly warmer trail than the atmosphere. By some shaky pushing and pulling, and years of working together, both reached the mutual intention to, at first, size out the room they were in.

When they were done, they meet back with each other. Hiccup wondered how he would convey the width that he measured before an idea sparked in his mind. Grabbing Astrid's hand, he then distinctively taped fives times on her palm, indicating that the room was five steps wide. Astrid then flipped the grip before tapping eight times on his own palm.

Right, now I need to cut the blood worm off Hiccup off, but he will need a knife. Drawing what he thought the shape of a knife in Astrid's palm, he dearly hoped that she will get the message.

Astrid was, of course, thinking of the same thing. Nodding her head instinctively, before realizing that there was no way that he could have seen that, Astrid reached out and her hands landed on his shoulders. Following the outline of his body, until she found his jaw, she tilted his head up and down.

The two Vikings quickly began searching, yet mindful of their steps. An accidental wound wouldn't help much. Bit by bit, having just the shuffling of the other to break the heavy silence. Finally, Hiccup's felt something move under his foot. Lowering himself to grab it, he realized when he closed his grip that it was in fact, a handle. Experienced fingers followed the shape of the tool, only to find out that it was a small dagger, roughly a palm and a half long, but it sported a double-edged blade that had known better days. However, one side of the dulled edge was serrated, and the whole blade lacked the smooth feeling of metal, meaning that it was well oxidized. It was a miracle that it hadn't fallen apart. Yet, the attribute made the task all but easier because one small errored manipulation and they could be cut by a rotten blade.

Sighing deeply, Hiccup got up and guided himself to Astrid. Swinging his unarmed hand in an arc in front of him until he met her, he quickly grabbed hold of her, found her hand, and gently eased the dagger into her grip.

Astrid jumped slightly when Hiccup's hand found her but soon was relieved that he had found a knife when he closed her hand upon the handle. Her hands went up and down the blade, and she quickly reached the same conclusion as Hiccup. However, by the way, things were looking, he was letting her go first. Maybe because of the danger of the act, maybe because he didn't trust himself to do it properly, or maybe he was trying, once again to escape from the trial, for some reason she still didn't understand. As thoughts were racing in her head, the blood worm that was oh so conveniently placed started to itch her. And that already gave her a good enough reason to hand the knife back over.

Finding Hiccup's hand, she more or less forced her way into his grip and by closing her hands over his, making sure that he wouldn't move, she trailed her palms upwards of his arms until once again, they found his head. She tilted his head in the same motion as before, but this time indicating that he has to go first, or at least she thought that her message was conveyed. Her arms left his face, only for Astrid to spread it slightly, offering him full access to her.

Knife in his hand, Hiccup didn't know what to do. Astrid trusted him to cut off a blood worm of her skin in complete darkness. But it wasn't this aspect that shocked Hiccup the most: it was the fact that said worm could be in any place on her skin, and she trusted him to find it by touching her. He felt that he should root in Helheim just for thinking about it like that. The most logical aspect was of course to search the same place that his blood worm was, but if he was wrong…, Hiccup shivered at the repercussion.

Meanwhile, Astrid couldn't hear the furious thought racing in her friend's head. What is he doing? She wanted to get him started, but she was forbidden to do it. Hearing some shuffling and the gentle sound of metal hitting the roc, which only aggravated her frustration, she nearly yelled out in surprise when she felt his hands on her feet.

Going for the safer option, Hiccup knelt in front of her, carefully laid the knife such as the handle was resting on his knee, before searching, and finding Astrid's foot. Carefully, he mapped it out, his left hand going on the inside of it and following it all the way to her ankle while his right hand prodded between her toes, making sure to leave not a single parcel of skin behind. Her skin was soft, yet he could feel the ridges under his palm, a sign of the harsh condition the Viking lifestyle brought. When his hands felt the bone that connected the foot from the leg, Hiccup moved his attention to the other foot, giving it the same focus.

Sighing inwardly that the first step was fruitless, Hiccup trailed his hands upwards. Cupping his hand around her right calf before sliding them up the member, paying attention to the smallest of ridges and textures changes, only to find that it was smooth skins covered by a very light layer of hair and dotted by some rougher scar tissues until he hit the knee. His mind wondered if her whole body felt like this, or someplace sported some smoother skin. He repeated the same motion on her other leg, and once again, stopping when he felt the joint under his palm. Making sure to trailed his fingertip behind it to make sure the annelid wasn't latched there.

For some reason, feeling Hiccup's fingertip behind her knee sent a jolt upwards, and made Astrid skip a breath. Inwardly she yelled some very un-civilized words at Hiccup, urging him to get be more efficient. It was like he was taking pleasure from feeling her like this. Not that she was complaining very much. There, she felt his callous palm close up on her thigh and slowly trailing up.

As the muscle grew thicker, Hiccup couldn't rely on simply cupping her leg, he resolved by moving his hand in a circular movement, brushing her skin as he went up higher, and higher. He knew that he had to stop at some time, but he just didn't know when.

Think, think, even if he roughly knew how high was Astrid, there was no way he could predict when he will be too high up until he was too late. To give him some time to think, he stopped.

What is he doing? Astrid thought as Hiccup suddenly stilled, then she felt one hand leave her thigh, only for it to land way higher on her body, just below her last rib. To her surprise, that hand trailed down, leaving behind some sensitive skin and a trail of feather-like tingles on the skin of her belly. Hiccup's hand found followed the natural pathway of her anatomy and trailed down her leg, pressing slightly on her skin, like it was trying to feel something inside, only to stop one more time when she felt his fingertip pressing on her hip bone. And then, the upward motion began anew.

When Hiccup's hand left hand bumped into his right, who was rested high on her thigh, he knew he had to stop. He reached his self-imposed limit, even if his hand was basically yelling at him to continue, to explore the patch of smooth skin that was just above his fingertips. With tremendous self-control, he ripped his hands from her legs, and shifted over to start the same motion.

Once again, Astrid felt a hand pressing slightly on her hipbone. Still wondering what happened and what caused Hiccup to change sides. She couldn't feel a bit flustered when his forearm darted back and forth, nudging her legs slightly apart when he tried to search the back of her thigh. Yet, she felt his hand going to the right place, edging slowly but surely towards where the blood worm was currently actively sucking her blood. But just before he could reach that place, he stilled. Come on, Hiccup, what are you doing? Astrid yelled inwardly, the worm was actually starting to get itchy. You're right there, just a touch higher and you're good. When she felt the residual heat quickly cooling off, and only to find that his hands are now rested on her thigh. Bastard.

Once again, Hiccup ripped his mind from where it shouldn't be and retrieved his hand from the smooth yet taunted muscle. He now had a pretty good idea of where his next target was located, and almost instinctively, his hands closed in on her waist. Wandering on the taut muscles of her belly, his fingers lodging naturally into the ridges of her abs, Hiccup tried to focus on the task at hand, but it was nearly impossible. The complete darkness rendered his vision useless, and of all of the other senses that could be heightened, it just had to be his touch. A gentle finger passed over her naevus before both hands met the smooth skin that covered her very last rib.

Ribs by ribs, Astrid felt Hiccup's fingers followed the route that her ribcage had shaped on her skin. Go back down please, Astrid yelled of all her might in her mind, as if, by some miracle, Hiccup could hear her. His touch was feathery, yet somehow leave behind a scorching trail of goosebumps. A shiver ran down her spine, as if her skin, having its own will, anticipated Hiccup's dexterous fingers. As his touch went higher, Astrid wondered if he would stop just like before, or this time, will he continue.

Counting the ribs, Hiccup stilled his hands before they were too far up. He reached out again and thankfully landed on her shoulders. Briefly following her collarbone, Hiccup decided maybe it was better to search her arms first. Two hands enclosed on Astrid's right shoulder, one over, one under, and started slowly moving across her arm, the lower hand making sure to check that spot littered by some rougher hairs, before sliding on her arm, his thumb soothing her biceps.

When Hiccup's hands finally let go of her left fingers, Astrid left out a soft brief of relief. Never she thought that she will this sensitive to touch, especially on her fingertip. Feeling his fingertip again on her throat, neck, and nape, all ten-contact point sending hot electricity through her. She had to bit back a ragged breath when a finger dangled on her lips. After an agonizing time, his torturous fingers finally left her. She heard some shuffling and felt a hot breath dancing over her nape. Figuring that at least, she could have some rest, because they were no way her back was that sensitive.

Oh, how wrong she was. Not only she felt Hiccup's artistic touch perfectly map out each and every single bump of her back muscle, but he also had the sadistic manner of dragging forcefully a finger down every single ridge of her spine. Even though the contact was purely epidermic, it felt like his fingers prodded into her marrow to give an angelic touch to her nerves. Finally, she felt pressure on the end of her spine -just before her skin curved out- before it completely faded. Breathing in deeply, she prepared herself for the worst to come.

Please be here, please be here. Hiccup prayed whichever deity that will listen to him, yet, as he felt the soft curve of Astrid's lower back, he nearly cried out of frustration. He knew he had mapped out her entire body, and he was deeply ashamed of how much power he felt he had, and how good that felt. Yet, he also knew that he deliberately left out three places, three forbidden places, that, once touch, could very well sign his death warrant, blood oath broken or not.

Placing two hands just below her collarbones, Hiccup hesitated if he should go through. Waiting to be slapped. After all, she didn't need to do any of this, and he deserved not a single bit of her sacrifice.

Meanwhile, Astrid was waiting, waiting for his hand to go down. Yet, it seemed that Hiccup had just turned into stone. What are you doing? She nearly yelled in frustration. Before realizing that he was probably waiting for her permission, a thought to which her heart skipped a bit. She could very well picture a lot of people that will give their hands up to trade for Hiccup's place, and yet, he waited. Thinking about some way to mean that she is fine with it, she jumped a little, the motion caused his hand to slide slightly downwards.

Lost in his thought, Hiccup didn't expect the sudden motion, and his palms were met with soft flesh. Retreating his hands like he had been burnt, he waited for his heartbeat to cool down and his blood to flow back up before placing his hands on her collarbone again. Again, Astrid jumped, making sure that his palm would be in the right place, hoping he would get the message.

Bingo Astrid smiled smugly when his hands didn't retract. However, she didn't know that she will very soon live through one of the most agonizing moments in her life.

Getting the wordless message, Hiccup carefully nudged his hands downwards. Right before, he remembered, in one of that many very awkward talks with his father about chiefdom and marriage, that women are more sensitive there. Opting for a much 'safer' way, Hiccup removed all but one finger from each hand.

His touch was burning, electrical, never-ending. Each finger trailed on her breasts in an inward spiral movement, a fire that leave behind a trail of ice. Each revolution made their centers beg for attention, yet the agonizing touch seemed to never come. Biting back her short breath to convince herself that she isn't this much bothered, Astrid, tried to focus her mind elsewhere like that was possible.

Finally, Hiccup's fingers met something a bit harder, out of curiosity, he flicked them just before remembering what they were actually, and, in a flash, his fingers were gone, yet that fraction of touch was enough to draw a hoarse moan from Astrid's throat. Apologizing profusely, but silently, Hiccup placed his hands on her lower back, ready to explore the second prohibited place. Her ragged breaths dancing across his face and awoken something primal in him, making the sound she made a few moments ago one of the most wonderful melodies he ever heard. And deep down, in one shameful part of him, he wanted to hear it again. Reading the tense muscle under his fingers, I don't have a choice. I'm sorry Astrid he apologized before placing his hands lower, cupping her rear.

It felt like Hiccup's palm was seared into her ass by a white-hot iron. Astrid bit her cheek to prevent any more suggestive sounds from escaping her throat and wishing it to end. She knew that the blood worm was not there, but he had to explore. She mentally made a note that when her turn would come, she will get revenge for every single touch, doubled.

Hiccup was truly desperate when after finishing mapping it out. The shape, the feels, it will all be graved into the most horrific place of his mind, his imagination will use it as the canvas for his most dreadful masterpiece yet to come. But, not finding the Thor dammed blood worm there meaning that it could only be in one place. He wanted to go over everything again, because the place he left out was the forbidden place, the sanctuary, checking again the smallest nudges to make sure he didn't miss it by accident, but he also knew that his time was counted: the blood worm could detach at every moment, and he will never find it. Wait, that's it. I could just wait it out and failed the trial, then Astrid could go home.

What is he doing? Astrid thought when Hiccup hand's left her short of breath. She could feel the worm going bigger, and itchier. It was soon about to fall off. Fall off? Oh, that bastard. So, she did the only thing she thought she could do without breaking the rules. She kicked him, hard, making him stumble to his feet. When a confused Hiccup got back up, she kicked him again, using her excellent hearing to pinpoint his location. When she heard the muffled sound of him hitting the ground, she shuffled over to him, in the meantime retrieving the knife, placing it on his collarbone before straddling him, urging him to move on.

Having a naked Astrid on top of him was about his wildest dream come true, but again he refrained from doing much and kept his hands to himself. Well, that was before a pair of sharp teeth sank in his shoulder.

Seeing Hiccup still not doing anything, Astrid lowered herself and bit him, deep. With each moment, his hands weren't on her, she added more force into her bite until she tasted the faint scent of blood on her tongue. A wave of guilt washed over her but she held well against it and the forcefully shove of Hiccup.

Finally, the pain had become unbearable. And with his newly acquired strengh, he managed to shove Astrid off. Angered, Astrid landed a few solid punches on his body, and she felt like Hiccup almost welcomed them.

Hurting him doesn't work. Astrid pleaded inwardly. She needed to find something, and fast because she wanted Hiccup back. At this moment, a gruesome idea sparked in her mind.

Shoving Hiccup on his back again, she climbed on top of him. As expected, his hands remained solidly glued to his side. Raising her arm to her mouth, Astrid bit down forcefully with all her might. She felt her teeth breaking the barrier of her skin, and her blood flooded her mouth. Letting voluntarily some drip out and land on Hiccup to grab his attention.

Hiccup felt something warm drop down on his skin. Wandering what it is, he whipped it up with his finger and brought it to his mouth. It tasted like metal, like blood. Blood? His mind was racing. This can't be mine, and blood worms doesn't leave a bleeding wound, that means.. ASTRID

Hastily, he reached up and placed his hands all over her, trying to find the wound. Only when he realized that her jaw was enclosed to her arm that everything clicked. Trying to force her jaw open, which Astrid tried to fend off his assault with her free hand, to finally being able to replace her arms with his. However, Astrid twisted out of his grip, spat out his arm, and bit down on her's again. Underneath his finger, he could feel her body tensing up to the pain. This time, he knew he was truly out of option. Tyrad was right, I can't just have her get hurt

Reluctantly, Hiccup placed a gentle finger way higher on her inner thigh, higher than ever before, and his other cradling her jaw. Just like a mechanism, the bite stopped, only for it to start again if he moved it in the wrong direction.

With infinite precaution, Hiccup darted his finger over the curve of her inner thigh., making sure to only brush past the skin. He could feel the heat pouring onto his finger. And resistant to the whispering urge of adding more pressure to his touch, he continued his search. There Hiccup rejoiced inwardly when his finger met a slimy substance, prodding around to make sure it was the blood wrong, and not something from the column of heat that was downpouring near his finger

The agonizing touch returned, only this time way stronger. Yet, Astrid held firm, sinking her teeth into the interior of her cheeks to prevent any sound of escaping, and trying to dull out the fire with her, begging for more fuel, by the pain. Finally, she felt his touch disappear at the right location. What took you so long, she slapped Hiccup mentally, before another mental note to actually gave him a good common sense pounding when she could talk again. She should be the one deadly embarrassed, not him.

She felt the cold metal on her skin for a brief moment, the itchiness disappeared. She then felt her grip being forced open and something wet and slimy landed in it. It was the blood worm. He did it, it took some time but he did it. Crushing the slimy animal before whipping his hand on the rock floor, she got off of him and allowed Hiccup to stand up again. She grabbed the knife from his hands. It was now her turn, she was going to enjoy this, her inner mischief whispered seductively in her ear.

Pondering for a bit, where to start and briefly considering if she should check in the same place directly, a whisper in her ear told her to give back the pleasant torture that he had subjugated her to.

Placing the knife on the floor and remembering the location, she knelt in front of him and leaned close, wrapping her hand around his right ankle.

Cupping the articulation, she started to twirl her fingers around it, making sure to cover every inch of skin. Feeling up the lanky calf muscle, honed by years of running around the world, making enemies, and running for his life, her fingertip met their fair share of small cuts and scars, the witness of his turbulent childhood. When she reached the knee, making sure to replicate the subtle motion of running a playful finger behind, she switched legs. When her hands closed in on his left knee, Astrid repeated the same motion, only this time, downwards. It didn't take long before her hands encountered harsh scar tissue. Intrigued, she followed a finger, only to find out that it warped around his whole leg. Wondering what it might be, her hands ran around it too long before she realized that she was actually feeling his severed limb.

She quickly diverted her hands, only for them to close again around his lower thigh. However, she couldn't erase the feeling of the harsh scar tissue dancing on her palm. A pang of guilt shoot through her as the image of young Hiccup flashed in her mind, back when he was just the village trouble maker and she aspiring to become the best shield-maiden the Archipelago ever knew, and everything that stood in her path was okay to beat down. Somehow, that included him, when he just wanted to make some friends. Another touch of guilt spark in her mind when she remembered the cold attitude, and downright ignorance she had towards the rejected boy. Who knew that he would grow into the sweet and caring daredevil? Riding the most feared dragon of the Archipelago? And who knew, that she, would fall in love with him? Life sure is full of wonders Astrid chuckled inwardly, at the thought of her younger self would probably make a disgusting face at the simple thought of touching a boy.

Meanwhile, Hiccup was having a heart attack. With Astrid searching his thighs for the blood worm, she rose up with the motion and she was just… there. His childhood self would probably die of sheer blood pressure if he were to see what was currently happening. Even though her touch was like branding iron on his skin, leaving an almost painful trail up his legs, it was the small distance that separated him from her that was the most agonizing. Many awkward talks with his father, and some books that he had to stumble upon had led him to discover the vast world of married life. And right now, even though he can't see it, he could feel it, the image that he would only conjure up in the loneliest of night. He could sense her breath dancing on the most sensitive part of him, a sensation only heightened by the complete darkness that surrounded him. He could feel her lips parting slightly to left out yet another discrete breath of hot air, but for him, it was like the standing on the crater of an erupted volcano, and on in the coldest of winter at the same time, as all his body heat seemed to concentrate on one specific region, leaving the rest of him frigid.

He couldn't help himself to let his thoughts starting an erratic run; what is she looking like, what is she doing? Does she even know it's there? Somewhere, a caged, but still rational part of him chuckled ironically at how little of Astrid it took for him to go absolutely haywire.

Hiccup tensed his legs, bit his cheek, and tried to diverted his focus from the girl whom he had been crazy over for the last two decades, and tried to distract himself from the thought that she was this close, forcing him to ignore her presence. Every old trick was used to prevent blood flowing in the wrong direction, prevent his hips from bucking forwards, as many nights they did at the slightest glimpse of fantasy of this very scene, but in those times, he was alone.

At a torturing pace, her hands made their way up to his thighs, stopping right at the junction of his hips.

Please go up, please go up. Hiccup prayed.

Feeling the slight dip underneath her fingers, Astrid knew she had to stop. There was still a bit of uncharted skin on his bottom half, and as she hesitated between checking the same place or going around the finely toned muscle, her fingers danced on the surprisingly tensed muscles. The instinct of massaging sore and tensed muscles moved her fingers in an eight-shaped loop, sending shockwave after shockwave of heat and electricity crawling underneath the young man's skin like a million ants.

Finally, she decided to save to most intimate for last, and her hands circled around, and soon she had a handful firm backside. Giving it a firm squeeze, she internally rejoiced at the feeling of the taut muscle and soft skin underneath her palm. Oh, this feels much better than with his ridding leather.

Hiccup had to bit his tongue to blood when he felt the strong grip on his rear. It wasn't the first time. She had the habit to place her hand there when they were kissing. But without the barrier of fabric, her touch felt fiercer, burning, vengeful. Oh great, said the caged portion of his mind. Helplessly, he endured the hopeless feeling of her hands traveling his body, pore after pore. Torn between the touched patch of skin yelling in agony and the unexplored one begging for her touch, he noticed a bit too late that her hands were now dancing on his inner thighs, and in an unstoppable motion, tiptoed their way to that place. Suddenly, he felt fingers where no other one's had ever been, and that sensation, he feared, was now permanently seared into his skin and mind. The pressure that had been building up finally overcome his willpower and blood flooded away.

Astrid arched an eyebrow at the feeling of the strange skin underneath her fingers. Deceived by the fact that she didn't find the blood worm in the same place as hers, she let her fingers explore that patch of skin. It feels less smooth, different, but not unpleasant, she concluded. Her limited knowledge of anatomy, results of the older women's gossip, gave her a simple concept of location, but now, she had her fingers on an equally forbidden place. But it was her warrior's instinct that indicated something was growing in front of her. Letting her fingers follow the natural curves, she soon found out was underneath her palm. She felt it before, digging into her sometimes as their kissing session grew more intense. The same heat she felt against her hips and thighs, now she felt it against her palm.

Hiccup let out ragged breath after ragged breath, biting back on his lips to prevent any sound from escaping his lips. He finally let out a breath of relief when Astrid finally retrieved her torturous hands. But the peace was of short notice. Her white-hot touch quickly found its way back on his body, on know she was following the ridge of slightly defined abdominal muscle.

Trailing her hands upwards, Astrid noticed how his body had toughened up in the years. The scrawny boys from the forge were now a lanky yet powerful Viking. Hands dipping underneath a muscular shoulder from years of welding the hammer, she explored the patch of rough hair before her fingers encountered something alien, wet, and squishy. There it is. She beamed happily. Dexterous fingers handled the knife swiftly and removed the parasite. Dropping the knife in a loud clank, she placed the worm into Hiccup's grip and was soon wrapped into a tight hug, which she happily returned, enjoying this sincere moment of intimacy.

Hiccup finally realized what he was doing. What's wrong with me, I shouldn't be doing this, I don't even deserve to think about it. He awkwardly broke off the hug and now tried to find a way to break the awkward silence that now reigned in the pitch back room. Neither of them dared to say a word, in case it will fail them the trail. An idea sparked in his mind. Returning into the way he came in and back again, with new his new finding: hidden from the way in was a slight ridge in the rock. Pushing onto it, it revealed another hidden tunnel, but this time, it went upwards, and, the most important part of all, light shined at the end of it.


Somehow, life must goes on, and so does this story.