Chapter 18
Hiccup rushed after Toothless as he stomped and crashed his way through the forest. "Toothless!" He called as he stumbled over some of the broken trees that were on the forest floor. "Toothless stop!"
Toothless heard Hiccup and shook his head in anger as he made it to the cove and started to huff heavily with anger as he paced around the lake. He was furious with what had happened and to make matters worse he was in risk of losing the one who he cared for most next to Hiccup. He didn't want to sit here and do nothing while Azora was in the hands of those who were harming her in such a horrendous way. To hear her agonized roars as the other male took her so forcefully was making his seethe in complete anger and he thought of different ways to eviscerate the male. He knew Azora probably didn't even know that to reveal her location it would mean to show how she was doing in that moment as well and if she knew that they all saw her like that…
Hiccup watched as Toothless paced back and forth, eyes blazing in righteous fury as rampant thoughts probably were entering his mind. He sat by the rock that signified their first meeting and watched with patience as Toothless tried to let out everything he was feeling without being destructive about it. He waited a few moments as Toothless finally slowed his pacing to speak up. "Toothless."
"What Hiccup?" Toothless said in a low growl.
Hiccup sighed as his friend didn't even turn his way. "I don't know exactly how you feel," he started before Toothless whirled around on him eyes blazing with fury once more.
"No! You don't even know a smidgen of how I feel Hiccup!" Toothless roared making Hiccup fall backwards in shock. "You have your mate back! She was captured with us but she was released with me! Azora is still over there being tortured and in risk of having her entire mind ripped to shreds because of what that ghailan is doing to her!"
Hiccup gulped at what his friend said noticing how he was stalking him at each sentence that was said. "Toothless," he said gently. "We know where she is now. We must not give up on some hope that we will get to her in time."
Toothless' eyes narrowed more. "Hope? Azora literally only has a short window to be rescued and reunited with me before her mind is gone! And we are just pondering away here planning and not just leaving!"
Hiccup stood up and yelled back, "Do you want all your friends to die in the process of rescuing Azora?! I don't think she would want anyone to risk themselves needlessly for her just to die because we didn't plan ahead! She would be crushed if Maaran or you died just to get to her!"
Toothless reared back in complete shock as Hiccup yelled and instantly made a connection on why Astrid fell unconscious. "She sacrificed herself to buy us time to rescue her…" he whispered out loud. "That's why Astrid fell unconscious… Azora hit her to make the king release both me and her to Berk safely knowing we would find her by using her dragon magic."
Hiccup's eyes widened. "Astrid doesn't know…" he said.
Toothless shook his head staring into Hiccup's eyes. "Azora knew that she would be used."
"She needs us to be prepared." Hiccup stated.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Azora woke feeling pain everywhere as she slowly tried to move. She then realized that she was out of that ship room and in a large room that was pure stone. A chained collar was around her neck and the only light source was a lamp that hung from the ceiling above her. She suddenly felt her head pound and winced as a part of her felt like it was being chipped away with axes. "So this is what they mean by losing ones self." She whispered dryly. "Not the most pleasant feeling."
She rubbed her stomach gently, sensing the life in her grow steadily and hoped to all of the Hiryur Haefen that rescue would be soon. She felt her dragon magic release the exact time that Alarka forced himself onto her and knew that her papa and Toothless would come for her. She suddenly had a thought. If she was in a different room, where was that dracul? Did he finally leave her because he got bored? She hoped so because she didn't think she could handle that torture again. There was no passion in that. No love. No honor. It was not Toothless as there was no whispered words of love or sensual play that relaxed her immediately to bend to him. Just pure agonizing pain that made her feel like she was being ripped apart piece by piece.
"Did I even do the right thing?" She asked herself. She stood a tiny bit before her body made her go back down as pain erupted through her limbs. "Maybe this pain will keep that stupid dracul away from me."
"Don't bet on that my dear Aabinus Abha." A voice said as one of the walls opened revealing the one she dreaded and the king.
She growled lowly and painfully backed up into the wall behind her. "You got what you wanted, now leave me alone."
The king chuckled as his piercing white/purple colored eyes stared into her own sky blue. "We have many plans for you my dear." He said. "Once those eggs of yours get laid they'll be perfect for my future plans."
"But you said that if I comply they would be delivered safely to Berk." she growled angrily at Alarka who just smirked.
"Indeed I said that but I have no authority if my Adiish says differently." He countered, watching as her expression turned horrified.
"You lied?" She whispered as her eyes narrowed dangerously into slits and started to growl in anger at Alarka.
"Of course I did. I needed you to be compliant to me. And that was a perfect way of doing it." Alarka then snarled at her. "But I still have a right to destroy the eggs if you even lift one paw towards me in aggression."
Azora immediately stopped her growling and looked to the king. "You are despicable creatures." She said.
"All the more reason to leave you with my pet young nightfury." He countered. "You'll soon be nothing but a mindless drone and I believe I will enjoy it when you finally lose yourself." He turned and stepped out as the wall closed behind him leaving only Alarka and Azora in the room.
Azora growled as his eyes roamed her body. "You've done enough pain to me." She said. "Anymore and you might even kill me."
"I long for you and care not for your pain." He countered. "This time though, you will be forced into the pleasure that you desperately deny from me."
Azora huffed. "I doubt that. Even the stupid gas wouldn't even make me feel the so called pleasure you would give me." She then smirked. "You will never be the one to bring me pleasure for you are not Toothless."
Alarka felt fury rage into his body and he pounced on her, forcing her head into the stone ground and roared, "You dare deny the pleasure I will bring you?!"
Azora smirked even as her head was painfully pushed into the ground. "I may comply to your wins on behalf of my eggs but I will never feel the pleasure from you as I have with Toothless."
Alarka growled even louder as her statement rang around the stone walls almost like it was a secret promise that is enforced my the stones themselves. "Then you shall know nothing but the pain you bring upon yourself." He said dangerously.
Azora chuckled darkly. "At least I don't force myself into believing that I am a slave." Her eyes looked back at him just barely able to see him above her. "By the looks of it, you lost all your soul to that king of yours. I will always keep a piece of mine even if I lose my mind to the forces you will be putting me through. I will always belong to my one and never you."
Alarka's rage consumed him and he hit Azora harshly across the muzzle making four deep scratches along her cheek. "You know nothing!"
Azora groaned in pain but the smirk was still on her face making Alarka get off her in complete bewilderment. "I know nothing of you nor do I even want to try. But I know enough about love and companionship to not fool myself." She slowly sat up.
"You are a fool for believing in such trivial things." He countered.
"Maybe you believe that yourself but if I am deemed a fool by you then so be it." She said strongly as blood dripped to the floor from her wounds. "I would rather be a fool than a slave."
Alarka roared in fury and pounced once more. All around the room, the pained cries of Azora echoed as her body was once again abused by the angered male.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Ragnok waited in the throne room for the king to return from where they put the female nightfury. He wanted his pay and wouldn't leave until he got it. He looked around noting the velvet cushions for the throne that was emboldened by gold accents and silver linings in the mahogany wood. He noticed that most of the room was laid bare and only held some lamps and a few long tables, one of which he sat at. He thought about the pain the fury was in and smirked his own terrible smile and wondered if he could learn to bring a dragon to its knees like the one the king has.
Just then, the king appeared by the throne and sat down as Ragnok stood to attention. "Ragnok," the king started. "What brings you to the throne room?"
"I am here for my pay." He stated.
"Ah yes." The king turned and reached behind the throne bringing forth a large bag. "21 thousand gold coins." He said as Ragnok came up to gather the offered bag.
"The pay is a bit low but welcome my king." Ragnok said as he grabbed the bag and turned.
Suddenly, there was a squelching sound and Ragnok stumbled before looking down. There, deeply imbedded into his chest, was the blade of a sword. Blood ran down towards the tip as he fell to his knees. "Why…my…king?" He choked out as blood splurged forth from his mouth.
The king went around and stood in front of Ragnok. "While I appreciate your services my friend," he took his foot and pushed Ragnok backwards making the sword impale him further. "There is no need of you any longer."
Those words were the last ones Ragnok ever heard.
The king observed the body in front of him before turning away and calling out to some servants. 5 males in torn clothes came forth, their heads bowed deeply. "Yes my king?" They all said unanimously.
"Clean up this mess." The king said. "And make sure the head is inspected for any gold teeth."
The men bowed and went over to the body as the king left the room smirking. Killing was a wondrous feeling.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Toothless and Hiccup rushed back to the chief's hut only to find a dragon talking with Maaran about the direction the pirate ship was headed. As the dragon finished its report, it took once more to the skies and disappeared. Maaran turned his attention to Toothless and Hiccup before saying, "Have you calmed down enough to work out a rescue plan with us?"
"Toothless found out something important." Hiccup said seriously.
"Oh?" Maaran looked at Toothless seriously. "And what may that be?"
"Azora was the one to knock Astrid unconscious." Toothless said making Maaran's eyes widen at the implication. "She knocked out Astrid to sacrifice herself while we were let go."
Maaran looked around and spotted Astrid and Stoick cleaning up the rubble in the home, too involved in what they were doing to hear what Toothless just said. "Keep this quiet for now you two." He ordered. "We both know Azora does not do things according to what others will tell her and doing this, while putting her chances of rescue higher than before, will make her chances of losing herself quicker." He looked at the two before him. "Once we get to where she is, Azora will either be a lost soul, mind controlled by that male, or dead. She made a risk that will take all her strength to overcome and we must hurry if we are to find a way to rescue her before it is too late to bring her back."
Before the two could reply, Astrid's voice rung out, "Hiccup!" She ran over, her clothes and hair both messed up and dirty. "I'm glad you were able to get to Toothless and calm him down. Now we can start planning our rescue for Azora!"
Toothless and Hiccup gulped down the guilt they felt for hiding things from her that dealt with Azora but Maaran saved them by saying, "We were just discussing that plan of action actually Astrid." He looked at them saying to just follow along. "I ordered a dragon to keep an eye on the ship's direction that appeared in Azora's dragon magic and told these two here to start preparing the riding dragons with saddles and weapons so that we do not go in unprepared. Isn't that right boys?" Maaran pointedly asked the two before him.
"Yes Maaran," Hiccup said quickly. "Toothless and I will get the word spread and start handing out saddles and weapons."
Toothless nodded and they both ran off towards the forge. "Astrid," Maaran said. "I need you to gather supplies and food for the journey. Let Stoick know to gather a town meeting and prepare their riders for a battle."
Astrid nodded and went inside the hut to let Stoick know and as the chief came out, he nodded to Maaran before walking down to the town hall.
Maaran immediately went to the forge and went inside, sitting by Toothless as Hiccup gathered all the extra saddles, weapons, and bags so that everyone could just grab their studs and go. "How did you know that Azora knocked out Astrid?" He asked softly to Toothless who looked at him in sadness. "While in the locked room below the deck of the ship, she told me and Astrid that she would save the both of us. The fact that they let both of us go with no injuries made my theory correct. She found a way to save both Astrid and I while dooming herself just so that this king could be stopped.
Hiccup then spoke up, "I just don't understand though." He stopped his shuffling around and looked at Maaran and Toothless. "Why would she sacrifice herself and her unborn risking her whole being instead of having the ones who would support her during her entrapment?"
Maaran looked down thinking as Toothless sighed. "I don't know." Toothless whispered.
"I think I do." Maaran said making the two look at him. "She feels like she deserves this punishment for being weak. To find love and have a potential family is the world to her but to protect it she will first give everything up in order to protect the ones she loves. The fact her eggs will not be laid in quite some time means she is most likely putting herself in more pain just to protect them."
"How is putting herself in pain protecting her eggs?" Toothless growled.
""In times of a dragon's pregnancy, she will develop a type of barrier around her eggs. Within this barrier nothing can penetrate it and the more a mother gets hurt, the more impenetrable the eggs will become once they are laid. If she so wishes it, the eggs will not even begin to hatch until a peaceful environment can be found. It's not something that the female knows she can do, in fact only a few elders know of this but her instincts are telling her to protect her eggs with any means necessary."
"And what if she loses her life?" Hiccup asked making Toothless snarl.
"Then her body will go into a state of stillness and the same concept will happen. Peaceful environment will allow her body to rest and the eggs to be born." Maaran said not even wanting to imagine his little one dead. "We will get to her before then though."
Toothless huffed and looked at the almost complete necklace that was on the dragon neck model. "How long until you finish that Hiccup?" He asked.
Hiccup looked at the necklace and said, "All it needs is a few more scales and then the melting." He said. "Maybe half hour at most?"
Toothless nodded. "Please finish it. I have a feeling that it will help in this journey."
Maaran looked to the necklace and nodded in agreement. "Finish it while Stoick talks to his tribe about the rescue mission." He stood up. "It is beautifully crafted."
They were then left alone as Maaran removed himself from the forge and with a final look to one another, they finished gathering the supplies for the rescue and started on the necklace, hoping that it was the key for whatever happened with Azora.