Chapter 5—Where's Hiccup?

The smell of fish breath entered her nostrils as Hiccup began to regain consciousness. Her face twisted in a grimace, but she didn't open her eyes feeling the bed underneath her and not realizing something to be wrong. "Toothless… stop. Your breath stinks", she mumbled.

"Sorry. I just thought you should know we've been captured again."

At that Hiccup's eyes snapped open to find her and Toothless in a cage in the Outcast prison. The bed she was lying on was a small cot placed in the back corner of the cell, and the two Outcasts that ambushed her were sitting right outside.

Hiccup slowly rose and spoke sternly unafraid of these two. "If you think Alvin will just let this slide, you're sorely mistaken."

"Well, he's not here now is he?" Bjarte said.

"Unless he's hiding for a dramatic entrance?" Bjorn jumped in.

"Quiet, you moron!" the Outcast snapped hitting his partner before turning back to the Berkian heir. "Ever since you made peace, he's been right there to help you Berkians out whenever he can, neglecting us in the process! Well no longer. Once Stoick realizes you were captured by Outcasts, your little peace pact will be finished."

"Ooh, good story", Bjorn whispered.

"I know."

What Hiccup was hearing didn't make sense. The most Alvin had helped her father was when he came to Berk when her dad was nearly on his death bed. Other than that they would sometimes corresponded through letters trying to rebuild their old friendship, sometimes giving each other advice to the other as well. The only reason Alvin was on Berk now, Hiccup assumed, was just to visit. After all, a wedding was on the rise. Maybe the two were just dumber than she thought.

"You're not going to get away with this", Hiccup tried. "Once we get out of here, you're—"

"Oh, I'd like to see you try. These bars are reinforced with some of that dragon proof iron; it was made specifically for you."

Hiccup looked around seeing indeed the bars of her cell were different from all the others, tinted green instead of silver. Toothless wouldn't just be able to blast their way out; that explained why they weren't afraid of putting her in the same cage as him, and why they hadn't bothered muzzling him. They were stuck. But only for now; she'd been captured before and escaped. She was sure she could do it again.

With the heiress secured, Bjorn and Bjarte stepped out of the prison where they would meet Alvin; the chief came just in time on his Whispering Death. Dismounting his dragon, Alvin strolled up to the two, and Bjarte reported.

"Signed, sealed, and delivered, Chief", he said.

"Does she know I'm behind this?" Alvin questioned.

"Not. A. Clue. To her this is a simple scheme concocted by two of your people wanting the peace with Berk diminished."

"Good. Keep her here until the wedding to Dagur is cancelled. I'll come to 'rescue' the little hiccup, and then we'll see who the girl marries", Alvin finished with a menacing laugh. He mounted on Killer once again, and flew off back to Berk before the sun rose. He had a plan to finish executing.

"Hiccup!" Stoick called up as he entered his home, but no answer came. His daughter never came for breakfast, but he had just assumed she had just gone out for an early morning flight with Toothless and lost track of time again. Now it was midday, though, and there was still no sign of her anywhere on the island.

He went up the steps figuring she was at her desk again, but when he came up he found the room empty. Turning to the desk he found her work spread across the table quite messily, a candle long gone out still lying on the table useless; it wasn't like her to just leave her station such a mess when she went out. Then, he found a note signed to him.

Dad,

I'm sorry, but I just can't marry Dagur. Between this, and the pressures of soon becoming chief, it's all just too much. When you find this, Toothless and I will be long gone. Don't bother coming to look for me.

—HHHIII

"What?" Stoick said with shock. This wasn't like Hiccup at all; she'd run away? He knew she was upset but he never thought she would just abandon Berk like this. It was far too irresponsible, even for her. He had to go talk to Gobber about this. Or maybe Aric; he'd been with Hiccup for most of the day yesterday. Surly he'd know something.

Aric was with Gobber, the black smith fixing up his ax for him, when Stoick had come up to them looking very distraught. It was about Hiccup; no doubt in Aric's mind.

"Ah, I'm glad I caught both of ya. Hiccup's run off", Stoick said sounding angry but also worried.

"What?" Aric replied utterly shocked. He hadn't expected that at all.

"She left me this note. I was hoping one of ya could explain this to me! What is that girl thinking?"

"Did I hear right? You say Hiccup's run off?" Alvin asked suddenly, coming out of nowhere. "Well, the girl did seem unusually upset yesterday. How unfortunate", he said, but the tone seemed rather fake; almost like when Mildew had showed sympathy when he was trying to get rid of the dragons.

"Stoick, you yanked her from her boyfriend…" Gobber began handing Aric back his ax, "…and told her she'd be marrying someone else. She's probably just gone out to think or to take her mind off things. Hiccup will be back; she's not the type to just abandon people.

"It says she's run away. For good. I think she's made her decision", Stoick retorted waving the note around.

"Can I see that, sir?" Aric asked.

"Of course, son."

He took the note, and when Aric read it he noticed something off. The handwriting; it wasn't right at all.

"Chief, where did you find this?"

"On her desk. Why?"

Aric was about to voice his concern when he noticed Alvin's demeanor. He'd stiffened, his fist clenching, as if about to be caught; it was something most wouldn't notice, but Aric did, and Alvin just now had a frown on. If he had to guess, Alvin was the one who planted the note and took Hiccup. Why? He was still figuring that part out, but it didn't take a genius to suspect that maybe the Outcast actually hadn't changed.

"Nothing", Aric instead said. "It's nothing, sir."

The men didn't seem completely convinced, but none pressed him on the matter as he walked off to Shadowstar with the note. He then stopped at her flank a good few feet away from them. "Hiccup's left handed. She couldn't have written this", he muttered to his dragon. He couldn't believe it was written by someone who would lean left instead of right in their writing. The note was clearly written by someone who wrote with their right hand. All of these were suspicions though, and he needed time to truly figure this out and find Hiccup. The only problem was Dagur was coming tomorrow and if he thought Hiccup ran away so she wouldn't have to marry him, he'd no doubt be hurt and insulted. He'd leave, and the wedding would be cancelled. As much as it killed him knowing Hiccup was to be tied to someone else, it was a necessary sacrifice of happiness that had to be made. Then, it hit him.

"Shadowstar", he said hopping on the Midnight Nadder. "To the Northern Markets. There's someone I need to pay a visit to."

Landing at the Northern Markets, Aric quickly found the shop the seamstress worked at. He entered the building to be greeted by who he suspected was the infamous Lady Brenna.

"Welcome, sir" she drawled with a bow. "Are you looking for a dress for a special lady? I can assure you, you will find only the finest here."

"Maybe some other time. I actually came to speak with one of your seamstresses. Alva?"

It was almost comical how her jaw dropped.

Alva was working on Hiccup's wedding dress again, humming away as she worked, and thinking of what song she'd maybe sing for her and the Chief at the wedding. It was all so exciting to just think about; her first gig.

"Alva!" Lady Brenna then barked coming through the door. "Some man from Berk wants to see you. Says it's important. Get out here!"

Putting her work down, she raced outside with Luna not far behind seeing Aric was the one who wanted to see her.

"Oh my Thor! I can't believe this! I-I thought someone was going to come take me there, but I never suspected so soon. Ah, who am I kidding? They probably want to hear me now as some sort of audition!" she rambled on as she paced in front of the man completely not paying attention to what he was trying to say.

"Uh, actually—"

"I'm going to sing for royalty! ME!"

"No, I came because—"

"Oh, but I'm not ready. I have to rehearse! I better change my dress. Oh, what am I talking about? I only have one dress! I'm rambling, aren't I?" Alva then realized turning back to Aric. She saw Aric's frown and interrupted again when the man opened his mouth to try and speak again. "You did come to take me to Berk? Right?"

"Yes. But not for the reason you think. Hiccup is missing, and I need you to help me find her."

"Me? What can I do?"

"By pretending to be Hiccup for the next day or two."

"What?! Are you out of your mind? If I'm caught, I'm dead!"

"Just listen. I suspect Alvin the Treacherous, Chief of the Outcasts, has kidnapped Hiccup so the wedding will be cancelled."

"Why would he do that?" Alva questioned.

"I'm not sure, but if I'm right, Hiccup should be on Outcast Island. You won't have to do this for more than a day or so. I just need some time to find her and bring her home."

Alva thought for a moment looking to the ground. Lifting her eyes, she saw how important this really was on Aric's face. His eyes spoke of so much worry and last hope. "She's in real trouble, isn't she?"

Aric only responded with a saddened look clearly hoping she'd say yes.

"A girl like me… Alright, I'm in!"