Sorry for the massive delay on this one. I wasn't expecting it to take me so long to finish it. I had hit an unexpected snag in the middle, and it obviously slowed me down quite a bit. But, it's finished now, the next chapter still being worked on. Don't know when that will be finished, but I will tell you we're in the final stretch. Only 2 more chapters after this one (I decided to make the epilogue its own chapter)

Chapter 11—Revelations:

"Heather! Heather, what happened?!" Astrid shouted over as she slammed open the door and ran towards her friend and the girl she'd helped disguise. She had seen them go into the bathhouse, Windshear and Luna waiting outside, and after dismounting Stormfly, had quickly ran in for them. Alva was leaning against the tub, her undergarments the only things on, and Heather was already starting to help her wash off the dried paint that was on her scales, Alva looking very upset and distraught barely moving the rag back and forth against her tail. "I just heard the news. Hiccup's back and Dagur's cancelled the wedding, Alvin taking his place? What happened in there?"

"I'll tell you what happened", Heather said angrily turning to her as she scrubbed at Alva's wings. "Your idiot of a brother and Hiccup made this stupid plan to run off together."

"What?" Astrid questioned coming up to help. The paint was almost a week old, and wasn't coming off very easily. Even with all three girls, the black paint was difficult to scrub off. "No, Aric went to Outcast Island to rescue Hiccup. He said he suspected that Alvin kidnapped her."

"That's what he told this girl—um, I'm sorry, what was your name?" she asked much more gently.

"Alva", the girl only replied.

"Right. That's what he told Alva. How do you know he wasn't lying to you as well?"

"Because he wouldn't, and ditching responsibility like that isn't the Hiccup and Aric I know. They're not selfish!"

Astrid could never believe Aric was lying to her. For one, he could never keep a secret from her and was never very good at lying to her. She also knew her brother and Hiccup, and those two would never do something so conniving. They were good people who did what needed to be done. Hiccup was a bit more of a wild card, but no matter what Astrid knew Hiccup had never, and would never, just abandon Berk.

"Aric said he thought Alvin was up to something with Hiccup. Now he's going to be marrying her tomorrow? Little too much of a coincidence don't you think? How do you know this wasn't all him?" Astrid questioned, but Heather had no answer. They spent the next half hour in silence as they helped Alva finally get cleaned up.

000

Heather pondered on what Astrid said, and even as they left the bath house, Alva all clean and out of that disguise—all except for Hiccup's spare prosthetic—she wondered about it.

"You know, now that you mention it, Hiccup did seem rather scared. And Alvin was the one doing all the talking", Heather pondered as they walked, all their dragons beside them in tow. And now that she thought about it, Hiccup's eyes, although not plainly seen as she had mostly kept her head down, held tremendous fear like a silent plea for help.

"You're right", Alva said, for the first time speaking since Dagur had stormed off. Looking at her now, she looked a bit better. She still looked a little upset, but it wasn't as much as before. "All Hiccup really said was I'm sorry. I thought it was for lying to me and using me, but what if she was saying sorry for something else? What if Alvin's using her?"

"You could be right. Alvin's had a history of threatening people into doing whatever deceitful thing he wants", Heather said, having once been one of those people. "We have to find Dagur and tell him about this."

"Yeah, there's no telling what type of trouble my brother and her are in", Astrid agreed and she and Heather mounted their dragons, Alva taking off on her own with Luna beside her, and went in search for him over the dark forest.

Dagur was now just wandering through the forest in thought. He had just needed some time alone to clear his head. He knew he wasn't mad at the pauper. She'd been a victim in this as much as him; she had no idea. At first he thought that maybe the girl was lying to save her own skin, but then with Hiccup's confirmation it just made him all the more angrier. He had to have left before his bad-self returned and he started charging at Hiccup.

Yes, he was mad, but he didn't want to hurt her. He'd done enough of that in their lives. Really, he just wanted answers. It wasn't really like Hiccup to lie and use deceit and trickery; she might do it to get out of a sticky situation from time to time, but really only when necessary, and certainly not for selfish intent. It wasn't the Hiccup way. She wasn't selfish. At least that's what he had assumed. Hiccup had a way of surprising him, but he didn't think she could do this. She wouldn't. Which is what made him all the more confused and upset. She had. She actually had.

"Daaaguuur!" he heard Heather calling him. He didn't answer not really wanting company at the moment, but after a few minutes he heard, "Dagur, there you are!" and she landed behind him. He turned around and found she wasn't alone either. Astrid and that seamstress girl, Alva, were with her.

"What, Heather? And what is she doing here?" he pointed at Alva.

"She is trying to help us figure out what's really going on with Hiccup, and where Aric is", Heather responded.

"What are you talking about?"

"If Hiccup and Aric's plan had failed, then where is he? Why wasn't he with Hiccup, and why hasn't he returned home?" Astrid answered. "Dagur, I know those two, and while they can both be idiots in their own right, we all know it's not in their nature to do something this stupid."

"So what are you saying? Alvin made up the whole thing and made Hiccup agree to it? But why would he bother? What does he have to gain?" Dagur still questioned.

"The throne to Berk", Alva answered softly. "Alvin's taking your place in the wedding tomorrow."

"Wait wait wait wait… what? So, you're all saying that Alvin captured Hiccup, forced her to go along with his crazy lie so that I would cancel the wedding and he could take the place as groom, and Aric is probably trapped somewhere with Toothless cause we all know Hiccup wouldn't go along with something unless someone's life were in danger especially loved ones?"

"Well…we didn't figure out that last bit, but yeah, I think that about sums it up", Astrid affirmed.

"Oh."

"Now we just have to figure out where Aric and Toothless are", Heather said.

From the shadows of the trees a voice then came to answer. "Oh, don't worry. You'll find out soon enough." It was rough, and sounded awfully familiar. If he had to guess, Dagur was pretty sure he knew who it was.

"Who's there?!" Dagur yelled out anyway getting into a defensive position.

The dragons followed, Windshear, Stormfly, and Luna all growling and crouching in defense.

"Stay on guard", Astrid whispered bringing out her sword and Heather followed by taking out her double headed ax.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho…" the figure laughed. He came out of into the light and they saw, with no surprise, that it was Alvin. "Congratulations on figuring it all out, but do you all really think you can stop me?"

"Well there're four of us, and only one of you, so I'd say our odds are pretty high", Astrid quipped.

"Four to one, eh? I think you need to recount, Astrid."

The four looked to each other in confusion, before a swarm of Outcasts then suddenly came out from the shadows of the forest quickly surrounding them. When did an army of Outcasts get here? How long have they been hiding right under Berk's nose?

"Great", Heather muttered, before the Outcasts then moved for attack. They weren't ready. Not one bit.

Aric didn't know how long he'd been down there; it was impossible to tell time underground. All he knew was that he, Shadowstar, and now Toothless were shackled in the mines with no escape. And they'd tried. They tried numerous times, but with no result. And even if they did somehow escape being chained to a wall, and in Shadowstar and Toothless' cases, the floor, there was no guarantee that they would make it out.

Shadowstar had really been Aric's only comfort down there during their long imprisonment. He was cold, tired, hungry…everything. Just how long had they been trapped? Was Alva okay? What happened to Hiccup?! When Toothless was brought down, Aric knew Hiccup was in trouble and he had fought with all his might to get out of the chains. It was of course no use and only resulted in leaving him drained. He had no idea what was going on above, and with only the knowledge that Alvin had gotten to Hiccup, that she was in danger in some way, he was overwhelmed with worry wishing he was there to help and protect her.

There was no rescue coming; that much he knew, even if people had started looking. He hoped Astrid was. She was the only one besides Alva who knew where he was going and had to have been wondering what was taking him so long. But, he knew it would be a while before anyone found them. The mines were on the other side of the island from the village, and who was to say they were even searching on Berk? If Astrid figured out he'd been captured and managed to convince everyone of it, no one would think that the captor would hide him on his own home island.

Shadowstar and Toothless' heads then perked up and they growled through their muzzles. Aric knew that meant Alvin, or an Outcast, was coming. He turned to the only way out of the room they were in, and after a few moments heard the voices the two dragons had been hearing. They sounded to be multiple people, mostly female, with a few male voices as well that defiantly sounded like Outcasts except for one.

He kept listening as the voices got closer, but it was tough to distinguish who they were when the sounds emanating from the non-Outcast voices were mainly grunts, or shouts. Whoever were captured, they were still fighting. Shortly, the sounds became louder to the point where he was sure they were only a few steps away from the entrance, and then Aric saw them.

Astrid, Alva, Heather, and Dagur all stood there, their fighting spirits still up, but looking terribly beaten like they'd just been through an awful battle and lost. A million questions ran through his head, but he couldn't get a word out before Astrid called to him in relief.

"Aric!" she shouted with relief before she, Heather, Alva, and Dagur were all shoved inside. She looked so happy to see him, like she had once feared the worst.

"Astrid!" he shouted back to her in surprise. "What's happening?! Where's Hiccup?!" he then asked with worry as she came to him.

"Alvin ambushed us", Heather answered.

Astrid bent to help him from his shackles, Heather and Alva doing the same for Toothless and Shadowstar, the Outcasts seeming to have for some reason left the four, as well as their dragons, unrestrained. Only a moment later as the girls were helping the three prisoners from their restraints, the sound of an explosion was heard. The mine shook, the walls and ceiling crumbling, and it was only then did they realize why.

000

"Sir", Bjarte spoke up just as Alvin was about to give the order. "Not that I'm questioning your orders, but wouldn't doing the exact opposite of what you promised the heir you wouldn't do cause her to go back on your deal?"

Alvin merely laughed finding the question absolutely ridiculous. "By the time the girl realizes, it'll be too late. I'll at last exact my revenge on Stoick. His precious little freak of a girl will be mine, his island under my control, both to do with whatever I wish, and I'll only give him mercy of the torture when I decide the fun has spent. And remember!" Alvin then turned with a snarl to every solider around. "It is only my sword that will be Stoick's end", he said letting them all know if the chief, soon to be former chief, died on their watch by any other circumstance then it would be their heads he would take instead.

Alvin returned his attention to the Whispering Death waiting for the command. "You know what to do", he said, and the dragon fired causing an avalanche.

000

"They're trapping us in!" Alva screamed as the ceiling began crumbling away, the exit sealing shut with toppling cave ceilings and walls.

As soon as Toothless was freed he raced to the exit trying to claw at the rocks. When they didn't budge, he was about to fire when Alva stopped him.

"Toothless no!" she roared with urgency halting him. "You'll only make it worse!"

Thankfully the Night Fury stopped only letting out a huff and growl of frustration knowing she was right. The collapsed mines finally stopped shaking, and the sounds of explosions outside ceased. Alva and Luna both let out breaths of relief, but the same couldn't be said for the rest, especially the blue Nadder.

She was freaking out seeming to have claustrophobia. "Oh no, oh no, oh no… I don't do well in tight spaces… The walls are closing in! The walls are closing in—"

"Stormfly! Whoa, girl it's alright", Astrid said trying to get close to the panicking dragon.

"Storm, calm down", Shadowstar said to her friend calmly. "Astrid just wants to help. That's it. Just breathe."

Slowly, with Shadowstar's encouragement, the Nadder calmed down enough for Astrid to take over petting the dragon's side and head comfortingly.

"What was that?" Heather asked.

"Stormfly doesn't like getting stuck in tight spaces, especially underground. It probably reminds her too much of her time in the arena cages", Aric answered as he rubbed his wrists finally freed from his shackles.

"There's no weak point in the barricade. We're trapped", Dagur announced from the barricade, and that just made everyone groan in frustration.

"At least we're still alive", Alva decided to offer, but it did nothing to lighten the mood.

Heather and Astrid moved to sit with Aric on one end of the room filling him in on what's been happening above ground, and meanwhile Dagur had made his way to the other side sitting on a rock jutting out from the cave like a slightly bumpy bench. He sat there looking like he was thinking and would rather be alone, and Alva felt conflicted.

She wanted to desperately speak with him, but would he want to speak with her? Sure, her intentions were good, but she still lied to him. Everything that had happened between them had been based on a lie. She wasn't expecting things to go back to the way they'd been; she just wanted things between them to be okay. She wasn't sure if her mind and heart could ever be at ease if he stayed mad at her forever. Alva looked down to her feet unsure of what to do. Something then gleamed in the corner of her eye from the dim fire light, and turning her gaze she found two halves of what appeared to be a rock split in two just a little a ways from an empty mine cart. Inside, however, was where a beautiful purple gem lied. A geode, Alva recalled from overhearing one of the merchants speaking of all the wonderful gems he possessed to a potential customer. With a very small smile she picked it up, closed the two halves, and walked over to Dagur appearing to just be carrying a rock.

When she got close, she caught him glance at her, but other than that he kept his gaze away. Slowly, she sat beside him. He didn't react.

"Look", she started with a melancholic sigh. "I get it, if you never want to talk to me again. If we ever make it out of here, I get it if you never want to see me again. But, just hear me out. I lied, I know that, and it was… horrible. I hurt you. I acted like someone else for practically a week, and you never really got a chance to know the real me. But, I want you to know the real me; all those times that I was natural…that I wasn't nervous, or hesitant…that was me." By this point Dagur had turned to face her watching as she rambled on beside him. "Right now you probably see this", she said showing him the rock. "Just a dirty, old, rock, utterly useless and worth throwing away… But if you give me a chance… If you try to get to know the real me… No lies, or secrets... I hope I can show you the treasure I hold inside", Alva finished as she opened the two halves and revealed to him the geode.

Dagur just stared down at the geode for a long while, and then up at her, before she was finally greeted with a small smile.

"I'm not mad at you", he finally said. "Well, maybe at first. But not now. You had a plan, it failed. End of story. I can't be mad at you for that." His voice was even, nonchalant even. He seemed calm as he spoke. "And I never thought of you as a rock. To be honest, you look a lot better like this. And sound better too. Can't believe we fell for that impression of yours? I must have thought Hiccup's voice had gotten deeper. Silly, right? Hiccup's voice hasn't changed since she was ten. Ha-ha-ha-ha! Why would it change now?" Alva couldn't help but smile at the small jab. It was true. From the little time she'd spent with Hiccup, the one thing she distinctly remembered was her voice. It was very high, nearly childlike even. When she sung, her voice dipped to a lower frequency, but when she talked it was almost as if a ten year old was talking with an adult's mind and body. It was a little funny to be honest.

"Oh, and by the way. Metaphors? Very Hiccupy of you", Dagur then said in a light hearted way.

Alva's eyes widened into a 'wait what' expression caught a little off guard by the statement, but then for whatever reason she started to burst out with laughter and Dagur soon joined in with a laugh of his own.

"Hey, you two love birds over there", Heather then interrupted them. "Mind helping us figure out a way out of here?"

"Well we can rule out the dragons just blasting us out", Aric said as Dagur and Alva walked over to them standing side by side. "We'd just risk burying ourselves alive."

"We'll figure it out", Alva said confidently. She then took Dagur's hand and turned her head to him. "I know we will."