"This island is known only to small few. Which means one of you have been here before. Which also means, it was one of you that was snooping about the night before on the rocks. A very rude thing to do. But Since you've returned to my ship, that means you've come to take something of mine that I wont give up freely."

All three were standing before the captain, Harek, as the emotionless man claimed him to be. Most of the crew they fought were now back on their feet surrounding them. Astrid, still held in a vice like grip, never looked away from the speaker. Hiccup was rigid. The blade still held to Astrid's throat, to ensure he didn't do anything he'd regret. Eret had someone gripping his upper arm and the back of his neck.

The dragons were out of sorts. Each had a man in front of them, waving a bundle of fuzzy, grass like vegetation. A form of dragon nip, powerfully dulling a dragons mind and senses. Making them as threatening as a kitten. Eret did notice that his mount was having a different reaction. Pawing and scratching at his nose as the fragrant bundle was held closely to him. He whined and huffed, the scent to strong for his keen nose and he fought to get it out.

With everyone being a little, preoccupied, Eret took the lead with caution, for something else caught his eye. The moon was dancing between clouds, but the crew surrounding them had lit torches. And what he saw was not a pleasant sight. The hostage, sat beside the feet of Captain Harek. Her dress was dirtied and stained, and the dried blood running from her nose and mouth told him where they had come from. Her features were still dulled in the low lighting, but her hair seemed almost translucent when any light hit it. It was very pale and the long braid was wrapped around the captains hand like a leash. Keeping her firmly in place.

"We don't negotiate." Eret stated firmly. Trying to choose his words carefully.

"Well that's good. You don't have much to offer anyway. And all that's on this ship is my property by rights-"

"I am not your-" A sharp cry sounded from the kneeling woman as the captain struck her, before pulling her back by the hair. A seething hiss passing through gritted teeth. Her eyes closed as blood began to drip from the new cut to her brow.

"I'm a respectable gentleman. But it would seem as though others still don't grasp the concepts of basic manners." He gave another pull at her hair. "It also appears as though our guests need to be taught as well. For you see, I carry no weapon, yet you lot seem to still be armed."

The crew took action at those words. The man without expression still held Astrid's axe, but tossed the sword Hiccup surrendered at Harek's feet. One crew member patted Hiccup down as another did the same to Eret. Tossing anything deemed as a "weapon" before their captain. Even the small knife from inside the satchel.

"Much better." Harek sighed. "Now we can talk without temptations. I've been at this a long time now. I'm hoping to retire in a few years, spend my remaining years with my family. So I'm going to do something I've never done before. I'm going to give you two options." No one seemed to notice the woman slowly reach out towards the blades. Eret did. Thankful he still had is helmet on and covering his face, for the captain would surly catch his wandering gaze.

"How generous." Astrid spat. She grunted when one of the men twisted her arm.

"That's not very lady-like my dear. I'm sure your mother would be ashamed of your behaviour."

"I'll show you lady-"

"Astrid stop!" Hiccup warned, seeing her axe press farther against her skin, more trails of blood were falling.

"Are we finished? Hm? Good. As I was saying. This is my offer to you. You leave my ship and we never cross paths again. If you see my flag, you turn the other way. Now you can choose. You can leave on the dragons you rode in on and forget all that you saw here. Or You leave your dragons with me and I can send you on your way in one of my spare long boats, with the girl." He pulled her head back. Her breathe rushed and uneven. "That is why you came here isn't it?"

"I have a better idea." Eret stalled, for the girl didn't quite have a grip on the blade before all eyes were on her.

"I thought you didn't negotiate." The grin on Captain Harek's face made Eret shiver in unease.

"And I thought you were of the gentlemen standing."

"Very well. What do you offer?"

"I offer that we leave you and your crew on the island, take our dragons and the girl with us, and sink your ship where she rests. That way we know where you are at all times and we never have to have similar exchanges in the future."

"Ha, you've got a good sense of humour on ya lad. I'll give you that much. But that's a fairly useless counter offer don't you think?"

Eret saw the girl snatch up the knife when her captor threw back his head in laughter. He'd have to make this count.

"No. A useless offer would have the added bonus of cutting off your dick and balls and sending them back to your family. Heaven knows they serve no purpose, and I'm sure your wife would love a good laugh."

He could see Harek's face turning red under the peeking moonlight. The air went dead. The dragons were rolling on the grass bundles the men had dropped in shock. The captain snarled, his jaw grinding it sounded like his teeth were breaking. As he went to take a step forward she took the chance Eret had given her.

A deafening roar ripped from Harek's throat as the girl stabbed the blade in the only closest open space she could find. A section between the codpiece and thigh, only protected by cloth. With everyone still stunned and the man brought to his knees, she reached from the short blade and swung it behind her head, effectively cutting off his hold on her. Her braid and a few fingers fell to the deck.

"Veslingr!" She hissed as she gripped Harek's chin. "I am not your property!" She brought the hilt of the sword down on his temple with her remaining strength. The whole crew staggered and dropped whatever they were holding. Some started praying in fear or sputtering chants of Odin help us or Hela is coming.

The guard had loosened their grips and the emotionless man staggered only just, but it was enough for Astrid to bring her feet to his knees. A sickening crunch of bone was heard and the man finally showed some emotion. Hiccup took action, with his helmet still on, and head-butted the man that stood behind him. Picking up Astrid's axe where it fell he used it to cut her free from one of the men's hands.

Eret also took the opportunity to twist his body and get the man behind him in a head-lock. The amour was making it difficult to keep a firm grip. The young woman came rushing at him, sword still in hand, and hit it as hard as she could across the held mans head. It stunned him enough for her to hand Eret the blade, to which he copied her move but with greater force, letting go of the unconscious stranger. Once the immediate threat was neutralized, Hiccup and Eret gathered all that they were stripped of. The girl handed Eret a torch and he took it in his free hand, turning his head from the torch to her.

"Burn the weeds." She instructed. "Surprisingly, burning it holds the opposite effect."

Astrid and Hiccup each grabbed a torch and ran to their dragons. Some of the crew fought to stop them, but they had the momentum. Eret was about to grab her hand to lead her away when he caught movement from behind her. Blades crashed as the captain fought with fervour, riding off the pain. His eyes were wild and unhinged. He made a grab at the girl with his bloodied hand but Eret blocked and countered each move. She took the torch from his hand, to which he then drew his second blade as Harek became more sporadic, and headed to the whining beast. A few men tried to stand in her way, but she waved the torch before them, muttered a few incoherent words and blew the flames in their direction. They all jumped back and two even threw themselves overboard.

She set the bundle alight, but scuttled back at the dragons furious cry. Skullcrusher leapt before her, his senses still trying to focus, as they stared at each other. Hiccup and Astrid had taken to the skies, a little unsteadily, but were firing shots at the ships hull. The rumblehorn took off after the girl, who sprinted away from him in fear and lifted her into the air. Astrid gave a whistle and Skullcrusher handed the girl over to the nadder and her rider, while he went to save his.

The emotionless man was calling out orders to load the ballistae and force them out of the sky. Eret was doing better with both his swords, but that damn armour was getting in his way. He lost his footing and stumbled. Harek was readying the final blow when a dragon landed on top of him. The beast gave an impatient growl as Eret collected himself and sheathed his weapons. But something was missing. Scanning the area he found the satchel tossed to the side and the crude knife not to far from it. He scrambled to get everything packed in and slung on his shoulder before he was almost picked up by the scruff of his neck. He gripped one of the horns and just put one foot in the stirrup when Skullcrusher took off.

"Come on bud! Send them down to the depths!" Toothless readied up and set forth a firm blast to the side of the ship. It burst through the wood, making a crater and allowing the ship to fill.

"What was that all about? The fire breathing I saw back there." Astrid asked her passenger, leaving the ship and crew to their fate.

Shouts were heard below to keep firing and abandon ship. Bolts whizzing past them, whistling as they did.

"Just playing off their fears."

"Which fears were those, of fire or women?"

"Mor- gah!"

Astrid looked behind her to see the girl fall off the dragon and plummet towards the waters below. She set off after her but pulled away when Skullcrusher came from underneath, Eret caught her by the waist in a awkward grip. He pulled her up and held her tight as Hiccup and Astrid levelled beside him.

"She's been hit!" He called out to them. The bolt wasn't thick but it had pierced her right shoulder. He lifted his helmet for a better look. His breathe hitched for a moment, being the first time he could see her closely with the moonlight. Her features where still dulled with dirt and blood and bruises. But what stopped him was her hair. It was almost glowing, even with the few spatters of blood from her captors hand. Her hair seemed to reflect the light of the moon.

"Eret? Hey, focus. Is the bolt laced with anything? Is the wound bleeding?"

Hiccup managed to get through to his new friend. Eret broke off the feathered end of the bolt and pulled it through cleanly. Fresh blood began to ooze but nothing was gushing out. He looked closely at the tip. The metal point was dark in colour and there was a slight colour different in the wood just past it. It too was dark but not from the blood. He sniffed it to see if he could catch anything. And it wasn't good.

"It's been dipped in dragon-root, but it's been tainted. Something else was added but I can't be sure what it is. The bruise around the opening on her shoulder is spreading. Whatever it is, it's moving quickly."

"Toothless and I can take her. Even with the added weight, we're still the fasts of all of us. I can get her back to Berk and get her to Gothi before it's too late."

It was an awkward exchange but they managed to transfer her over. Hiccup had one of her feet between his leg and toothless' shoulder to help secure her. He folded her arms over her torso, and leaning forward, pinned her body between himself and toothless, his arms on either side of her to keep her from moving. Hiccup gave an encouraging call and they were off, flying as fast as they could.

Eret just stared in their direction. Slumped in his saddle, breathing heavily.

"Are you okay?" Astrid had never seen Eret this frightened before. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I think I did." He never took his eyes off the horizon.

"Who was she?"

Eret had no answer for her. Looking at the bolt in his hand as if it held the answers. He got nothing from it and so he set his gaze firmly on the horizon.

Veslingr - a coward, an annoying person (At least that's what I'm told, I could be wrong)