Chapter 10—Lies and Truth

The week had gone and Hiccup and Aric were still missing. Alva couldn't understand what was taking Aric so long? He should have been back with Hiccup ages ago. If they didn't show up by tomorrow she'd end up being the one to marry Dagur, and things would just become even more complicated.

She, Dagur, Heather, and Stoick, were all in the Great Hall at the moment having just made sure all preparations were set and accounted for.

"Well, everything seems to be in order", Stoick stated when they had come inside. "The Hooligans and Berserkers will officially be united after the wedding tomorrow. Are you ready dear?" he checked looking down to her with a slight smile. He had seen how close she and Dagur were becoming.

"Ready", Alva said as enthusiastically as she could have possibly managed trying to hide the fact that she was in fact terrified. "Oh, and I almost forgot", she then said digging into one of her pockets.

That morning, Stoick had given her a little metal medallion telling her to remember that she needed to give it to Dagur before the wedding thinking she forgot when in fact Alva had no clue. Despite the fear of blowing her cover she cleverly asked him what it meant, because if Hiccup had wanted to give it to Dagur for a betrothal gift it must have been significant in some way, and in fact it was. Taking out the medallion, and holding it in her palm, she began to explain the gift to him incredibly nervous.

"This was, uh, a gift from my mother…to my father…and, um, he had passed it down to me to give to the person…the person…" Alva paused to take a breath, not doing a very good job in pretending that this was hers to give. The air felt heavy and she felt as if the room was closing in on her. It just didn't feel right. With every word she spoke, she spoke a lie, and it was killing her inside. Then, she looked at Dagur and into his wonderfully bright green eyes, and somehow the air felt lighter, and the words fell out naturally. "…The person I would one day fall in love with and marry."

Dagur took the piece of medal from her hand and looked at it adoringly. "You don't have to be so nervous you know. It's just me", he said taking her hand.

Somehow the gesture calmed her if only a little. Just focusing on the man in front of her, it felt right, and she felt like she could relax and breathe easy. Forgetting the act, everything just felt right.

At that moment the doors to the Great Hall swung open and Alvin came in with a bunch of armed men and women. "Grab her!" the Outcast chief thundered. "She's an impostor!"

000

Everyone had a mix of reactions, but the main feeling everyone felt was confusion.

Stoick looked on in shock as two of his own men apprehended his daughter, Hiccup struggling in their grasps looking frightened and confused.

"Get your hands off me!" Alva shouted scared and not understanding how they found out.

"Let her go!" Dagur shouted trying to keep his anger in check and not kill the men trying to take Hiccup away.

"Stop!" Heather yelled confused as to what was going on.

"Alvin! Just what do you think you're doing?!" Stoick then roared demanding an explanation for this.

"She's a fake! A phony! Nothing but a lowly seamstress!" Alvin said in answer.

"Are you telling me I don't know my own daughter?!" Stoick questioned furious with his old friend, marching up to him.

"Why I only just discovered the truth myself, Stoick. Haven't you wondered why we haven't seen Aric lately? He and Hiccup have conspired with this impostor so she could take Hiccup's place, marry Chief Dagur, and Hiccup and Aric could run off to Thor knows where while this pauper rules instead!"

"And what proof do you have of this ridiculous story?!" Dagur questioned.

Alvin backed up to the entrance of the Great Hall. "Because I have the real Hiccup Haddock right here!" he said yanking the supposed real Hiccup from behind the wall and into view, her tail limp, ears down, and head down, all in shame for what was about to happen.

000

Dagur couldn't believe his eyes. At first he didn't want to believe it, but when he saw the Night Fury pendent hanging from Hiccup's neck, the betrothal gift he had sent to her at the beginning of the week, he knew it had to be true. The Hiccup he had been with this whole time hadn't worn the necklace at all, but this one now in front of his eyes, eyes down cast and looking truly ashamed, there was no denying the truth. That was Hiccup. That was his sister.

"Hiccup?" he asked before anyone could say anything. "Is it true?"

"I'm sorry", she only whispered refusing to even look up at him.

Dagur always hated liars. The reason was because it led to nothing but hurt. And Dagur had never felt more betrayed and hurt then he did then. He had been willing to make it work between them, had hoped that they could maybe have a relationship. He didn't have to agree to help her tribe out, but he did, only because he cared about his little sister and didn't want Stoick marrying her off to some other rich guy who probably wouldn't care about her and treat her the way she deserved. But Hiccup? She only cared about herself; it only mattered what she felt. She had set him up with some stranger only pretending to be her. They had tricked him; had made a fool of him again. If Dagur had been his old self, he would have gone into a raging fit and tried to end Hiccup's life then and there. But, he wasn't his old self, and he kept his anger down.

000

Everyone was silent. Even Stoick, waiting for what Dagur would do, and Alva was worried. Dagur was upset and angry, and he looked ready to kill. He turned to her.

"Just who are you?!" he asked hurt, furious, and upset.

Feeling hurt and betrayed herself, she did her best to reach up to her head and take the auburn wig off revealing her blond hair. "My name is Alva. And I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed stepping forward escaping the guards' grips. "I had no idea! A-Aric told me she'd been captured!" she tried to explain desperate for him not to be mad at her, but he then refused to look at her. "I was only trying to help! I swear, I never meant for this!"

"Hiccup. Is this true?" Stoick spoke harshly.

Hiccup only gave a slow shake of her head in a yes. At least she wasn't going to be blamed for any of this, but that didn't make the situation any better.

Dagur only glanced at her, a stormy gaze held on her for only moment, then back at Hiccup, before simply storming out.

000

When Dagur stormed out he made sure to shove at Hiccup's shoulder as he passed, and all the while she felt utterly helpless and weak. All she whispered as he passed was a sorrowful "I'm sorry." She just felt like this was the worst moment of her entire life. And maybe it was.

Through this one lie, a lie she couldn't give away, she would be hurting everyone she cared about. But she couldn't do a thing about it as the three most important people in her life were in danger, and with one false move their deaths would be all her fault. No matter what she had chosen she knew people would be hurt.

Dagur was hurting now because of her. Alva was hurting because of her. The only two who she couldn't see hurting were Heather and her father. Heather was at Alva's side comforting the now saddened girl and giving Hiccup a slow shake of her head in saddened disapproval and confusion, and her father only glared down at her with a disappointed and angry stare.

Heather led Alva out, and as they passed by Hiccup tried to say something to them, but the only thing that passed her lips was, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Alvin just stood to the side watching the display he'd created with a blank face, but Hiccup could see the smile he was concealing.

It was now only her, her father, and Alvin, and once the doors to the Great Hall were closed, her father spoke.

"Of all the irresponsible— Hiccup! Just what were you thinking?! Don't you realize, now, because of your selfishness, you've sentenced our people to starvation, and likely severed our alliance with the Berserkers?!"

She glanced at Alvin for a moment not wanting to continue with the lie, but knowing she had no choice when he gave her a sign for death unnoticed by Stoick.

000

"No one was supposed to figure it out", his daughter muttered. Hiccup was ashamed of herself, and for good reason.

Hiccup had a large track record of reckless and half-baked plans, but this one was the worst. How could she have thought tricking a poor seamstress into taking her position was a good idea? How could she and Aric do such a thing like that? It was honestly something Alvin would rather concoct than his daughter.

"That girl wouldn't have been able to keep up the act forever!" He saw Hiccup flinch, and decided to take a breath and speak a little softer. There was really no reason to yell at her. If there was one thing he'd learned, it was that she was probably beating herself about it worse than he could ever punish. He took a deep breath holding the bridge of his nose trying to calm down his frustration. He still kept his voice stern though when he next spoke. "What do you expect me to do now? Winter is almost here, and we don't have enough food to feed our people."

"Dagur isn't the only rich man out there, you know", Alvin then stepped in.

"And who exactly do you propose, Alvin?" Stoick snapped at him.

A smile crawled up Alvin's face before he spoke again. "Me. During my journey I found a great sum of gold. I'm just as rich as that Berserker Chief now."

"My daughter, marry you?" Stoick had to question. He almost wanted to laugh.

"Who else do you suggest? Maybe it's not ideal, but as I see it, I'm your only option left."

Stoick thought for a moment unsure. Over the years that they'd been allies Alvin had proven himself to be a good friend. He even treated and thought of Hiccup like she were his own niece. But, could he really hand his daughter off to him?

"Hiccup, what do you think?"

000

Hiccup was surprised by the question. Her dad hadn't asked before, so how was she to think he would now. Of course, even with her father now giving her a choice, her dad clearly being more cautious of handing her to Alvin, she still had no choice. Right now Toothless, Aric, and Shadowstar were all down in the mines with no escape. When Alvin had said so, threatening her further, as his men dragged Toothless away her heart nearly shattered, the fear consuming her. With one word from Alvin, Killer would zoom over there and fire at the mines blowing them up and trapping her loved ones inside. There'd be no stopping it. If she said 'no', Aric, Toothless, and Shadowstar would all be gone, their bodies trapped in the mines forever, and souls lost roaming.

Gathering the courage, she tried to answer. "I… I th—think…" She couldn't say it. Glancing up, she spotted Alvin giving her a glare. She had to do this. She just had to. No matter how much she didn't want to, no matter how much she would be suffering in the future, she couldn't just leave them to die.

000

"I'll do it", Hiccup burst out quickly like she were ripping off a band-aid. For a moment Alvin thought the girl would back out, but he should have known better. The girl cared too much for that boy and the Night Fury.

Stoick looked a bit taken back, but he then just nodded. "Very well. Tomorrow, the wedding will still commence. Alvin, you better treat my girl well."

"Not to worry, old friend. Hiccup will be safe and in good hands", he replied putting an arm around the girl who only stiffened and then peeled away.

"I think I'm gonna go home now. I feel really tired", the girl said as she did so, and Stoick nodded in understanding looking significantly calmer then when Hiccup had originally appeared in the room, and he walked with her to their house.

Alvin also exited the Hall, and then went in search for the Berserkers and that seamstress girl. Until the ceremony was over, his plans weren't sealed yet. He needed to make sure they weren't going to be loose ends he would need to cut.

This was the last pre-made chapter. Chapter 11 isn't finished, so don't expect a chapter tomorrow. Sorry.