Sorry for the lateness. School and stuff.
There were few things that Astrid Hofferson was truly afraid of. Open water and the unknown where the main things, and considering that she was wearing a blindfold while she was on a boat…well, she was terrified.
By the faint light that peeked through the edges of the blindfold, she saw the moon making it's way across the sky, morning would come soon, but they were too far away from Berk for anyone to find them now.
A torch lit. "Let's anchor for the rest of the night! We have two barrels of ale and high spirits!"
The assembled crowd cheered with gladness and excitement. Astrid sneered. She could hear the joy of the crew as barrels were opened. Liquid splashed and a vague scent of alcohol pierced through the air. "Let's drink to a successful mission, and Alvin's praise!"
"And to the reward Berk surely will pay!"
There was cackling and an echo of clinking mugs. A foot landed on her shoulder and pushed her down. "You're going to be worth some handsome coinage, young Haddock."
The name was Hofferson. If they were kidnapping her, they should at least do some research. Then again, most people didn't realize she wasn't Stoick's biological daughter. He introduced her as his heir or protege, and assumptions were made. The Outcasts didn't care one bit about her or her lineage, just her position in the village. Another reason for her to hate it.
So she sat, with her back against the hull and her ears pounding with drunken racket. It was only a matter of time before they started to get bad ideas.
Not that this was a good idea to start with.
The night pressed on as different crewmen towered over her and offered her ale, as a joke. They laughed when she grunted. Many of them took advantage of her bonded state to whisper lewd and dirty things to her. The brave Hofferson took them in stride, knowing they were doing it to get a reaction from her. One even copped a feel, but she remained stone faced.
"Men, leave the hostage alone. There will be other time for fun."
Astrid clenched her hands into fists, ready to attack the first man to unchain her. As soon as she could, she would figure out an escape. Even if she had to train a flock of Terrors to fly her home. Which, even now, could literally be a plan.
Whispering from behind her, a voice called, "Astrid!"
Hiccup's voice was music to her ears. He may as well have been singing. She tilted her head to indicate she was listening.
"Astrid, there's a storm coming, sometime around day break." He explained. "I'll be following the ship. At the opportune moment, I want you to jump off the boat."
Astrid clanked her chains against the wood.
"It's okay, I'll catch you. I won't let you drown." A wet finger touched the back of her neck and made her shiver. "I'll be right here Astrid. I'm with you."
She was still bound and gagged. Drunk men where sprawled out around her. She was still a hostage and Hiccup had no weapons. But the fact that he was there, and was reassuring her that she would be alright, calmed her fear of the unknown. Her shaking was beginning to wane, and she could hear the rolling thunder in the distance.
Hours passed and Astrid listened to the rowdy vikings doze off one by one. She knew there were plenty still awake and sober, since someone had to pay attention. She was exhausted, but she dared not to fall asleep, lest that was when the storm came. She needed to be prepared.
Then, she finally heard a clap of thunder and the rush of rain heading towards them.
"Secure the sails! Brace yourselves!"
The waves rocked the ship as the freezing wind picked up. Astrid's heart thudded in her chest.
"Raise anchor! Baton down supplies!"
"What about the hostage?"
"She'll be fine! Those chains weigh more then she does!"
It wasn't a totally exaggeration.
She felt a few drops hit her head before there was a total downpour. The ship was alive with the crew running about and tending to the cargo. She was sure someone would at least move her, but no, she remained untouched. She attributed it to the mostly drunken men who made loud steps around her and puked off the side.
So much chaos would provide a nice escape.
She shook the blindfold from her face and saw the disarray in full. The waves where swelling, lifting the ship like it weighted nothing, tens of feet into the air, and then bringing it back down. Each wave was bigger then the last. Lighting streaked across the sky.
Dawn had arrived, and with it, her saving grace.
She scanned the crew, finding them disorientated or busy, and she squatted on her feet. The waves lifted the ship, and at the precise moment, she took a deep breath and heaved all of her weight over the edge of the ship, the chains creating a momentum.
On deck, crew started shouting and raced for nets. They couldn't lose their hostage.
Astrid crashed into the sea, almost immediately beginning to sink. She tried to float, like Hiccup had taught her, but the chains were much too heavy. She peeled her eyes open, finding the depths much calmer then above. Then, she watched in fascination as Hiccup appeared in front of her, in his true glory. His short hair swirling in the waves as his eyes pierced into her own. His tail curled and whipped in the waves like a snake as he neared her. He smiled in comfort and then swam underneath, wriggling between her bound arms and legs.
I've got you. He spoke, and she heard him clearly. Just a little further.
Nets descended as she clung to him, her throat clamping up as her body demanded air. She clenched her eyes shut and counted. She could feel Hiccup's smooth tail sliding between her legs and knew they were still moving. Bubbles were escaping her lips as she so desperately wanted to exhale.
He cupped the back of her head and pulled her close to his chest before he twisted to fit into a crevasse.
She needed air. She became light headed and she started to struggle in his grasp, fighting to get to the surface.
They broke the water and she almost swallowed her gag in an effort to breathe. Her nose flared as the cold air filled her lungs and let her head roll back as Hiccup held her. The merman slid out from her grasp and eased her up on a rock. "You okay?" He prodded, pulling the gag out.
She coughed up water she had sucked in her nose, and nodded. She took a moment to breathe before answering, "For the most part." Her eyes screwed shut. "No, no I'm not."
He leaned against the rock, allowing her to hug his form. She shook vehemently as short sobs cut through the air.
"I'm sorry, I know you needed air, but we couldn't be spotted, and I swam as fast as I could—…"
She shook her head. "On that ship…I thought I was going to die. Hiccup, I was so scared. I don't scare easily, but that was awful."
His arms went around her waist. "You're okay now. I'm here."
She didn't doubt that he'd protect her. His mouthful of teeth was evidence enough that he was a force to be reckoned with. The only problem was, that she didn't want to be protected. Astrid was independent, and strong. she could always defend herself.
But she couldn't swim. So she had to humble herself to depend on him. And judging by how nice it felt to be held by him, it wouldn't be too hard.
Finally she asked, "Where are we?" The sounds of the storm were muffled by the rocks and it was pitch black.
"A cavern by Thor's rock."
"We're all the way out there?"
"The storm carried the boat in that direction." He felt the shackles on her ankles and wrists. "I found this cave sometime last summer. I remembered it had an air pocket. We're just lucky that it wasn't too far away."
She nodded and shivered. As much as she wanted to get back into the water, it wasn't much warmer then the air.
"I know of a ship wreck not that far from here. I'm going to see if I can find something to get those shackles off."
"Sh-Should I get out of these wet clothes?" Her teeth chattered.
"No, you're clothes are wool, and will keep you warm better then nothing. I'll try to be back as soon as a can."
"Alright." She nodded, hugging herself.
He was gone for a long time, leaving Astrid to herself. The dark cave was not in the wind, but she could hear it whistling through holes somewhere up above. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noticed that the shelf she sat on was rather large, big enough for two people to lay out on. That was fortunate, she figured. Though, the ceiling was covered with stalactites that dripped. They looked stable at least. Over all, being in a dark cave alone beat being on a ship with a bunch of vicious drunks.
It was so different from Hiccup's cave. Even though they looked to be made of the same type of rock, his was so much warmer, and it felt like a home. She was comfortable there. This place, however, made her feel lost. She just wanted to go home.
Astrid dozed off a few times, only to be awaked by a chill. She was sure she'd be sick by time she got home. She would get home though, she knew Hiccup would deliver her safely.
Finally, he surfaced and Astrid could see various tools in his arms. He set them down on the shelf with a clang. "I found a few things we could try."
"Okay, just…try not to take off my fingers, okay?"
He sat next to her and selected the axe. "No promises."
She placed her feet in front, facing him, with the chain tugged as taut as it could go. She covered her eyes, nervous. Hiccup may have used his arms for pulling himself up places, but the skinny size betrayed his strength. The blade dropped with a bang, and chains split clean. Astrid then laid down her wrists and Hiccup broke those as well.
"So, I have my arms free, but they're still weighted down."
"I'm working on that." He held up a white double edged saw.
"What is that?"
"It's a skull. Ever heard of a sawfish?"
"Um, no?"
"Figured."
"What's that supposed to mean?" She rested her hands on her hips.
"It's a ray. It doesn't really travel up this far unless it's following the current. It might work." He started with the cuff at her ankle, sawing through the bolt that held it shut.
It snapped apart with a satisfying 'ping'. "It worked." Noted Astrid.
"Yeah, but…" He held up what was left of the skull. Most of the teeth had fallen off. He tossed it over his shoulder. "But don't worry, I have one more idea."
"Hope it works."
He held up a large nail and a hammer.
"Alright," she adjusted her foot, "let's try it."
He carefully placed the nail at the base of the bolt and hammered, careful not to hit his fingers or her. He fiddled with it, angling it to strike the crease. Eventually it gave and the shackle popped open.
The girl rubbed her ankles. "The boots helped."
"Then let's get your wrists." He took her hand and rested it at an angle on a rock.
Many careful strikes later, and she was free. "Oh, thank you Hiccup." She said with relief as she massaged her wrists. "That was awful."
"I bet." He conceded, pushing the tools into the water. He then glanced over to his friend to see her hugging herself. "Still cold?"
She nodded. "I'm sure you were right about the wool, but I would just love a fire!"
"I would too, but there's nothing to build a fire with. It's all wet."
She sighed and brought her legs closer. "Okay."
"We have to wait here until night," he continued. "The ship is still looking for you, and it'll be hard to fight the storm waves."
"Okay." She shrugged off her wet fur hood. "This is useless."
Biting his lip, he battled with his thoughts before he reached over and grabbed her shoulder.
"What are you doing?"
He pulled her towards him, and she let him. He laid down and pulled her to lay on his chest while he wrapped his arms around her waist and shoulder. "I'm keeping you warm," he finally answered. "Sorry if it's weird."
"It's okay." And she meant it. She was freezing, and laying against his chest, where she could feel his blush, helped to thaw her blood.
"Rest up. It's a long swim back to Berk."
She nodded against him, but was already halfway asleep. She hadn't slept since yesterday, and she was exhausted. His chest made a nice pillow anyway.
—
Night came, and she was awakened by Hiccup shaking her shoulder gently. "We need to get you home."
She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and nodded in agreement. Then she looked at the water that was waiting for her. She shivered.
"It's not going to get any warmer by you staring at it."
"I know," she groaned. "Gods, this is the last thing I want to do when I wake up."
"The sooner you get home, the sooner you an get all cozy in furs and sit by the fire and drink hot tea." He bargained.
Then she stomach growled loudly.
"And eat some good food." He chuckled.
"Okay, you convinced me." Carefully, she eased her feet in, and then the rest, shivering all the while. She held tightly to the shelf. "I still can't swim."
"It's alright." He dove in and saddled up next to her. "Put your arms around my neck, I'll swim us back together."
"Okay," and she reached out and clung to him, her legs around his waist as well. Maybe he would help fight back the cold.
"Hold your breath."
She gasped loudly and then buried her face between his shoulder blades.
Swiftly he cut through the water, darting out of the cave and into the night. It wasn't long before her grasp turned desperate and she clawed at him. He surfaced and she breathed.
"Already?"
"Yes, already, I can't hold my breath very long."
"Well, I was hoping to at least get away from the rocks."
Turning around, she saw Thor's rock only a few feet away. "Oh."
"This is going to be a long trip."
"Can't you swim on the top of the water, so I can breathe?"
"I suppose so, but it won't be as fast." He started out, his hands propelling them across the surface as she thought about what to do.
"I guess you could go under, if I just give you a sign when I need to breathe."
He turned his face to the side to talk to her. "That could work. But please don't scratch me."
"Deal."
The night lagged on slowly as Astrid tugged on his ear almost every minute. Then it stretched on to two minutes, and then three. But it didn't get better than that. Three miles out, Astrid tugged on his hair and he surfaced.
"Is there anyway we can take a break? I'm feeling light headed." She stated. Holding her breath for so long had her seeing spots.
"That's fine. Do you remember how to float?"
She gulped and then let go of him, rolled over, and rested her weight out over her limbs. He floated next to her and held her hand, just so she wouldn't drift away.
The moon was brighter that the night before, and the sea was now calm. Had the water not been so cold, it could have been romantic. Astrid's thumb drifted absently over Hiccup's knuckles. It was a nice night.
Hiccup picked up a few vibrations from the water. It was rhythmic, unlike nature's sounds, and it made him raise his head from the water.
"What?" Astrid asked, glancing over to him.
The merman's eyes narrowed as he scanned the horizon. Turning around, he nearly jumped when he saw a ship heading right at them. "Oh great…" He muttered.
The blonde heard him speak and followed his gaze. At the sight, she started to sink and reached out to him. Hiccup easily grabbed her and eased her onto his back.
"What kind of ship is that? It doesn't look like ours." She said, with trepidation.
"I don't know. I…think it has a skull on it?"
"Another outcast ship!"
Hiccup took in the surrounding area. It was all open water, no rocks to hide behind.
"Have they seen us?"
"I don't know, but they will. We need to dive."
She nodded and held tight. The merman cut through the water in haste, hoping to go under the ship and get far enough away from it before surfacing. Right when he was underneath, Astrid tugged on his ear to surface.
Not now, he urged, and hurried his pace.
A few feet more and her tugging became insistent. I can't! They'll see us!
She wasn't listening though, her chest was tight and heaving for air hat she could not provide. Her heart beats were loud like thunder in her ears.
Astrid let go. She kicked and flailed with everything to get to the surface. She almost made progress too,
until Hiccup grabbed her ankle and pulled her back down. Easily, he overpowered her and grabbed her shoulders. He couldn't believe he was doing this, to Astrid of all people. Downward he swam, forcing her deeper into the abyss. Her limbs felt numb and she stopped fighting.
He was going to drown her. She had begged with him, asking for him to spare her from this fate. And now, he would be responsible for it. Images of long fangs and inked eyes filled her vision, as she had known all along what his true nature was. How she wished she had heeded the warnings.
Bubbles escaped her lips and cascaded around his stern face. He was mad at himself, but this is what had to be done. He wanted to save her, and even if she hated him for it, it was all he could do.
Before her vision went dark, she saw Hiccup's face soften and a delicate smile stretch over his features. No longer was she terrified, but only heart broken. He had betrayed her, and in her last moments he was still trying to be kind.
Hiccup took her face into his hands, brushing the hair away, and leaned in. His lips sealed against hers, forcing her eyes to shut to the darkness. His breath leaked through her slightly parted lips, filling her completely. Finally, the young woman relaxed into a float. Hiccup cradled her to his chest and sank down to the ocean floor. There, he watched the struggling rise and fall of her chest as her body adapted to the change. Her steady heart beat kept him at ease.
Time passed and the ship up above had long since moved on. Hiccup continued to hold Astrid, being careful not to move her. He played with her dancing hair, and pressed apologetic kisses to her cheeks.
Astrid jolted awake with a gasp, bubbles erupting from her mouth. She twisted around, trying to understand where she was. Then she saw Hiccup. He had the audacity to smile at her.
She tried to slap him, to punch him, anything, but the water proved to resist her force. Frustrated, she grabbed him by the shoulders and yanked him forward, delivering a hard bite to his neck.
Ow! He claimed. What was that for?!
"For drowning me, you jerk!" She attempted to yell, only for it to come out in a fury of bubbles.
Listen, I know you're mad. But hear me out.
Astrid crossed her arms, red in the face, and scowled.
Our options were for you to go up there and get caught again. Then they might have caught me too. He sighed. It's all I could think of in those short seconds. I'm sorry.
Her stern facade started to chip away, as she glanced off.
And…now, you won't ever drown. Because you can breathe underwater.
A thought occurred to the young woman and she grasped her neck.
And you can breathe above water just the same. I'll answer whatever questions you have, later.
Astrid nodded as her vision grew blurry. With no answer, she pursed her lips and wiped at her eyes. The shock of the incident was starting to come up on her.
Are you crying? Hiccup asked, with little tact.
She shook her head, a sob of bubbles betraying her actions. Concerned, the young merman grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into his embrace. She hiccuped but refused to let herself full out cry.
I'm sorry I scared you. I promise, hurting you is the last thing on my mind.
She nodded against him, believing him.
Then let's get you home.