A/N: Wow two updates under fifteen hours, I'm on a roll! :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
The door slams shut with a loud clang. Hiccup lifts his head up, watching as Viggo crosses the distance of the room. He passes by the dragons ni the space with ease, reaching Hiccup with a few long strides.
Hiccup gives Viggo a nasty glare, if looks could kill Viggo would have been killed, buried, dug up again and then killed again for good measure. Viggo kneels in front of Hiccup, tilting his head slightly.
Hiccup makes no comment, pulling his legs closer in mental misery. "Such a shame to see you in this state." Viggo says with a almost believable pity.
Hiccup remains silent.
"You serve me a great purpose, Carr has brought it into suggestion." Viggo says making eye contact with Hiccup.
Said Haddock returns the stare, "And what, would that be?" Hiccup asks rhetorically.
Viggo smiles softly, "Well I am a business man, and if I see something that will bring me better profits, I lust after it. To be honest, I did plan on killing you, but now... you really are gifted with dragons. Tell me, how much do you think someone would pay to watch you train one?"
Hiccup's head snaps up, green eyes flashing with an unreadable emotion. "You are a-" Hiccup starts.
"What?" Viggo asks.
Hiccup shifts his position, letting his knees drop, "You know what you are. And now, I know to." Hiccup returns.
Viggo straightens, "Well, unfortunately, I don't have time to linger. Prepare yourself, Hiccup Haddock the third."
"And if I dont train the dragons?" Hiccup asks.
"Maces and Talons is a game of strategy, if the chief doesn't do what's needed to protect his people, they die off." Viggo answers. The message is clear: You dont train the dragons and I start killing off the other that said, Viggo turns and walks out of the room, the door shutting with a soft click. Hiccup grinds his teeth in frustration, but gets to his foot watching the dragons around him.
Train dragons.
It's like Alvin all over again. But this time, there lives beyond his own at stake.
...
"As...astrid," Snotlout starts looking down at her with wide eyes. Astrid groans and looks over at him. "there's been a slight problem with the...cut. Do you know the cure for a Scauldron bite?"
Astrid's dull blue eyes widen, "Why?" She asks softly, voice hoarse.
Snotlout shrugs, "Well, um, you see, you got bit by one." Snotlout says. Astrid closes her eyes tightly, face contracting in tight pain.
"I dont." She mutters.
Snotlout lets out a soft curse. Astrid's eyes snap open abruptly her body twitching horribly, she lets out a scream before her entire body goes limp. "Astrid?" Snotlout asks and shakes her shoulders several times, "Ah man! Hiccup is going to kill me!" Snotlout groans before his head perks up. "Hiccup."
Snotlout gets to his feet looking around at the beach, it's long past mid day, lowering into dusk. Snotlout scans around them, eyes squinting. "Where does Blue Oleander grow?" Snotlout asks looking down at Astrid. "Right, you're unconscious, I'll just deal with this myself. Dont move, well I know you wont move but- I'm going." Snotlout says and pulls away from the unconscious Hofferson.
He races across the beach, looking for anything that resembles a flower. "Where do these stupid things grow anyway?" Snotlout mutters before he spots a bush looking thing on the beach.
He races over to it, and sees, "Berries! Oh great Odins ghost this is never going to work." He groans. He turns around and kicks the bush in frustration and storms down the beach, missing as several Blue Oleanders fall from the plant.
...
Heather scowls at the broom she holds in hand sweeping along the bleachers. Guests have been arriving for several hours, making the job even harder than it needs to be. She hasn't seen Hiccup or any of the other riders for hours.
Viggo is devious, she has decided, he knows were strong together but rip us apart and we can stand, but not very well. Heather thinks.
She aggressively shoves away the dirt covering a part off the wooden planks her green eyes narrowing with anger. She's not entirely sure who is the target of her anger, just that she is furious at someone. And Dagur... She doesn't even know what to think about him. Part of her wants to believe he is changing, the part that fears to be alone again, the other half is still angry. He's a stocky, murderer. He killed their father for Thor's sake!
All these thoughts distract her briefly long enough for her to smash into someone. Heather pulls back rubbing her forward a sharp comment on her tongue. It dies in her throat as she sees the man in front of her tall, big, and cloaked. Deciding she doesn't want to get into a fight with this man she steps to the side.
"Sorry." Heather mutters walking past him, missing as the mans head follows her, gaze scanning Heather. He shakes his head softly before turning back to the benches.
...
Ruffnut scrubs at the spot on the floor, a look of complete focus sporting across her face. Tuffnut, next to her holds less enthusiasm.
"Astrid knows how to swim. So does Snotlout." He mutters rubbing the brush against the ground harder.
"You're still not angry about that are you? I bet Tip's just playing with us. I mean come on, its Snotlout and Astrid, if the ocean didn't kill them, then they'll kill each other." Ruffnut says. Tuffnuts make no comment for a while.
"Yeah, that's true. You missed a spot over there, by the way." Tuffnut says.
Ruffnut looks over at the spotless area, "Hey!" She proclaims angrily.
"What?" Tuffnut asks. Ruffnut scowls at him before she tosses her brush at his head, Tuffnut drops his and tackles Ruffnut.
The Dragon Hunters look at them for a second before one steps forward and grabs Tuffnut by his hair away from his sister. "Break it up, or we'll break you." He growls. Ruffnut and Tuffnut share a look before they proceed to try and fight.
...
Fishlegs scrubs at the swords next to him. Cleaning and sharpening swords he's been doing it for hours and Fishlegs is no blacksmith, he has no idea how Gobber and Hiccup do this for hours on end.
"Pick up the pace!" A voice yells angrily.
Fishlegs scrubs harder eyes narrowing."You pick up the pace." He mutters darkly before setting the sword down and picking up another one.
...
"Ah ha!" Snotlout declares victoriously, lifting up the blue flower with pride. He grabs several more and turns looking back at the forest surrounding him. "Lets see just, walk forward, turn left walk a little more and boom out of the forest." Snotlout says, following his own instructions.
He reaches the beach and grins before he sees the sun setting in the distance. "oh no." He mutters before taking off down the beach.
He reaches Astrid within a few minutes and skids to his knees to stop. Grabbing her shoulder he shakes her back and forth harshly. "ASTRID!" He yells. When all else fails it seems:Yell.
Astrid's eyes snap open foggy and unfocused. "Here eat this." Snotlout commands shoving several petals of the Blue Oleander into her hands.
Astrid takes them, her hands shaky and lifts it to her mouth. She chews swallows and makes a disgusted face. Snotlout hands her another petal that she takes. He releases a breath, hopefully, just hopefully, this will work.
...
If Hiccup could rate top three worst days of his life, one would probably be when he was disowned then lost his leg, two might be the day that Toothless left before Snoggletog and three, three is definitely yesterday when Astrid died.
Hiccup hasn't seen Toothless in over a day and honestly as childish as it is. Hiccup literally needs his dragon. He needs a person to dump out everything to, then, thrust himself onto the nearest object and cry dramatically. Then carry on with life.
But time is cruel, and so is Viggo Grimborne. Hiccup stands in front of the doors to the arena, several swords pointed at his back, hands shackled with a foot and a half chain between each wrist. How Viggo thinks he can train a dragon with no hands is beyond him, but despite the heavy protesting Hiccup did, all it received was a bruise spreading up his neck.
Hiccup glares at the doors, but awaits the release.
Carr stands in front of the large crowd, looking down at the empty arena with a soft smirk. This is the largest crowd the Dragon Hunters have managed to create yet.
Carr throws open his hands sending a half glance to the two Grimborne brothers standing side by side. "Welcome friends!" He shouts, "You come from far and wide to see this spectacle, and you have a right to, without a wait, let the show begin!" Carr yells. The crowd goes up in cheers.
The doors to the arena are throw open and Hiccup is shoved out, stumbling. The door across from him snaps open and a Snaptrapper bursts out all four heads roaring angrily.
Hiccup watches it for a second all eight eyes of the dragon scanning him. Hiccup walks forward hesitantly. "I'm not going to hurt you." He promises.
Three heads hiss, the fourth looking at him curiously. The head on the far left roars, it seeming to be in charge of the others. Hiccup lifts up his shackled hands letting the dragon watch his every move.
He doesn't want to train it, just respect should be enough to please the crowd and prevent Viggo from wiping off all the other riders.
The Snaptrapper growls.
Hiccup advances.
The head in the middle right, watches him for a second before lowering his head and growling at the others. Hiccup releases a breath he didn't know he was holding as the head touches his palm.
The other heads watch him before one clicks it's tongue and follows the first head.
The final two dont seem as pleased with Hiccup as the other two. They eye him warily, before angrily. Hiccup watches the change and sighs as the first head barks at the second and third. They pull away from him and hiss, "And yet another plan perfectly executed." Hiccup mutters before the Snaptrapper snaps at him.
Hiccup pulls away, jerking backwards and slips on his prosthetic landing on the ground with an grunt. He whips around and lifts his hands over his head as the Snaptrapper swipes at him.
The claw slices across his middle and Hiccup gasps sharply his teeth clenching tightly. He sits up looking at the dragon with pain filled eyes, a small plea for it to work with him. The dragon, nonetheless is startled by the look and backs up.
Hiccup forces himself to his feet, clenching his jaw tightly at the pain and lifts up his hands, "Back, back!" He shouts and the Snaptrapper follows his commands. It reaches the cell soon and Hiccup lowers his hands mouthing thank you and turns back to the crowd.
It's quiet for a second before the entire thing breaks out into cheers. Carr gives Viggo a smug 'I told you so' look, watching the crowd again. All roaring with excitement and demands for more except two men.
Hiccup looks at them for a second longer before he sways on his feet and collapses.
A/N: ...Can I just say how much I love Dagur's plan in this!?
Please review! :)
