So sorry for the long wait but school is finally over and I can finally continue with this. I made this chapter much longer than my last ones to try and make up for the long wait. I hope you all like it and please review.
Snotlout, the Twins and Fishlegs returned back to the island shortly after Stoick and Astrid's worry filled conversation.
"Did you guys find anything?" She asked in a hopeful tone.
"Nothing at Thor Rock." Tuffnutt said.
"There was no sign of Hiccup on Outcast Island but I did notice one thing." Snotlout said. "Hardly any Outcasts were there. Not even Alvin." He concluded. Astrid thought for a moment.
"Alvin might be out at sea holding Hiccup prisoner." Astrid stated.
"Um Astrid? I think you should know what I found." Fishlegs said. Everyone looked to him with a look of curiosity and worry. "I was flying around Changewing Island when I spotted something in the water farther out to sea. What it was... Not a good sign." He said before holding up what he found. Everyone gasped. In Fishlegs' hands tunic and vest. Both ripped and torn.
"You're back!" Came Stoick's voice from behind them. The group quickly hid the found objects behind them as they turned to face the chief. "Did you find anything?" Said Chief asked. The teens looked at one another. "What is it?" Stoick asked. Silently Fishlegs handed the man the vest and tunic. Stoick took a moment to stare at them and let the many thoughts and emotions sink in before taking them in his now shaky hands. As he looked at them, horror and fear filled his eyes. The horrifying images from earlier filled his mind once again as tears started welling up in his eyes. "No..." He whispered.
"Sir." Astrid started. She took a step forward toward the chief. "We think Alvin has him and did this to hide evidence." Stoick asked.
"How do you know? Did you see him on Outcast Island?" Stoick asked trying to keep his voice under control.
"No." Snotout said. "The island was almost completely empty. Only a few Outcasts were there. Alvin wasn't one of them." Snotlout said. Stoicks saddened and fear-filled face shifted into a look of hate.
"Get your dragons ready." He hissed.
Throughout the day, Hiccup and Fin were ordered to work in the stables where they weren't fast or strong enough to move the hay and dung. They were punished again. Then they went to the house. Fin was told to cook a meal for Maldrigards wife. All started well until his wife came in and shouted at Fin for making what she said was slave food. He was take out of the house and punished for disrespect. Maldrigard ordered Hiccup to sweep and mop the floor while he dealt with Fin. Hiccup had no other choice but to do as ordered. Maldrigards wife sat on the couch watching Hiccup with a look of hate and disgust in her eyes.
When Maldrigard came back, he held Fin up by the back of his shirt. The boy was weak and in obvious pain. Hiccup had just finished the floor and was putting the supplies back in the broom closet when the front door opened. Maldrigard looked around at the floor.
"Hmm. Not too bad runt. But I have one more place to test you." Maldrigard said. Hiccup mentally whimpered. He followed Maldrigard and Fin out of the house. The man still held tight to the back of Fins shirt, practically dragging him along side him. They were brought to the orchards. Slaves were shouting and swinging from branch to branch in the trees picking apples, pears, oranges, peaches, walnuts and acorns. Hiccup and Fin looked around in amazement. And what shocked them the most was how free the slaves looked. They looked like they were actually having fun and playing in the trees. Hiccup spotted the twins right away. They were jumping and swinging around in perfect synchronization. They were picking oranges from the orange tree they were in and dropping the picked fruit to a slave that was standing at the bottom of the tree filling baskets with the ripe fruits.
"One of you will pick first while the other packs." Maldrigard said pulling them from their thoughts. The two looked back at him. Maldrigard pointed to Fin. "You'll be picking first." He said. Fin mentally whimpered. He was always terrified of heights. Maldrigard shoved a basket into Hiccup's arms and pushed them both to the trees. Hiccup looked around at the trees trying to find one no one was working in. He spotted on only a few trees from where Maldrigard was standing.
"Let work on this one." Hiccup said to Fin as he walked to the tree. Fin only nodded. Walking to the tree, Fin looked around at the slaves jumping, swinging and climbing around in the trees. He watched one rather young boy jump from one tree to the next. His heart jumped to his throat when he saw the boys foot slip on the branch and almost fall. Fin let out a relieved sigh when the boy regained his balance and continued picking.
Hiccup looked to Fin and noticed how tense he looked. "Fin? You okay?" He asked Fin shook his head.
"I'm terrified of heights." He whispered. Fear glistening in his eyes. Hiccup placed a gentle hand on the boys shoulder and offered a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry. The trees aren't that high and neither is the fruit." He said.
"Move it!" Maldrigard shouted to them. Fin took a deep breath and jumped up and grabbed a branch. Hiccup helped push him up. Once Fin was in the tree, he clung to the branch.
"Fin, just relax. You're not gonna fall." Hiccup encouraged. As he said this he thought of Toothless and how he always saved him when he fell lost his grip on the saddle. Hiccup shook the thought away. Now wasn't the time to think about how much he missed his best friend. Slowly, Fin relaxed and sat up on the branch. "That it. Now just reach up over your head. There's an orange right there." Hiccup said. 'At least I think it's an orange.' Hiccup thought to himself. Fins hand was quaking and as he reached up and felt for the fruit. Hiccup glanced over to Maldrigard and saw a slave run up to him, bow and hand him a scroll. Maldrigard took it and waved the slave off. The boy bowed again before running off. Maldrigard opened the scroll and began to read.
While Hiccup was watching Maldrigard, he never noticed Fin hit a fruit on the tree until it came tumbling down and landed on his head. Hiccup winced before looking up. Fin had a fruit in his hand but he was losing his balance.
"Fin wait!" Hiccup shouted up to him. It was too late. Fin fell off the branch letting go of the fruit. Hiccup had no time to move causing Fin to fall on him and bring him to the ground. Hiccup landed on something round, some-what hard and very wet. A sour smell wafted his nose.
"Useless runts!" Came Maldrigards fierce voice. Hiccup and Fin scurried to their feet just as Maldrigard stormed up to them. "Can you two to anything right?!" He shouted at them. A smell then filled his nose. He took a loud sniff. Then another. Pushing the two apart he peered behind them. On the ground was a smashed orange. The orange, sourly sweet juice leaking into the grass and being absorbed greedily by the rich dirt beneath it.
Maldrigards blood boiled in his veins. His face burned a fierce red as he glared flaming, molten hot daggers at the two.
"Master it was a mistake. Honest. Fin isn't good with heights. He lost his balance and fell. Please forgive us." Hiccup pleaded before bowing. Maldrigards face seemed to get redder. He gripped Hiccup by the front of his shirt and yanked him a good two feet off the ground. Hiccup gasped in surprise and fear. "Have you useless runts learned nothing?!" He shouted. "A slave is to make no mistakes! They are never forgiven!" He shouted. Fin shrunk to his knees. Maldrigard pulled him off the ground with his other hand. "I've shown you two mercy and this is how you repay me. I've been using the lowest level of punishment on you two. but now my generosity has just expired. Because of your carelessness, you will receive the highest ranked punishment!" Maldrigard hissed before dragging the two of them away.
Hiccup and Fin were for the first time punished together at the same time. Both boys had their shirts torn off and their wrists chained up over their heads as they faced a wall. They heard an odd whirling noise before it happened. A loud snap and a stab of pain fell on Fin's back before Hiccup heard and felt the same. A scream escaped their lips. But it still continued. Ten times.
The sun finally set. Hiccup and Fin went to the barn and laid against the hay stack. Hiccup was silent with a sad, distant look on his face. His eyes were drained of any hope and in it's place were the waters of despair. His confidence was gone and any thoughts of his master plan were dashed.
Fin looked at Hiccup with sympathetic eyes. He knew what the boy was feeling. "Hiccup? Are you okay?" Fin whispered.
"It's over Fin." Hiccup mumbled as he stared at the dancing flame of a candle beside him.
"What is?"
"Everything. There's no hope left."
"But... You have a plan." Fin said trying to boost his confidence.
"It's no use. The time to put the plan into action is tomorrow night and nothing is set. We can't escape, Fin. I'm sorry." Hiccup said curling in on himself a little.
"Told you it's a lost hope." Daga said. Fin glared at her. Fin scooted a little closer to Hiccup.
"Hiccup. Do you remember what you told me back on Maldrigards ship?" Fin asked. Hiccup looked back at him.
"N-no." Hiccup said.
"Yes you do. I know you do. What did you tell me Hiccup." Fin encouraged. Hiccup thought for a moment.
"I-I... I don't know." Hiccup said.
"Hiccup, what are you." Fin demanded.
"What?" Hiccup asked as he looked at Fin as if the boy had grown two heads.
"What are you?" He asked again a bit slower.
"I'm... I'm a slave."
"And that's all we'll ever be." Winston said. Fin glared at the boy as if to tell him to shut his mouth or else he'll shut it for him. He looked back at Hiccup and continued.
"No, your a runt Hiccup. We're runts. Every one of us." Fin said.
"Yeah, so what?" Hiccup said.
"Think about what you said Hiccup. Why are we so special. Why are we so different from everyone else?" Fin urged. Hiccup turned to him.
"I CAN'T!" Hiccup shouted. "I don't remember what I said! I don't know why we're so different! I can't think of why we're so special!" Hiccup yelled. Fin looked at Hiccup shocked and a bit disappointed.
"What's so different about us from regular vikings, Hiccup?" He asked softer. Hiccup stood and walked to the other side of the room and faced the wall.
"I don't know!" He said getting irritated and feeling even more useless. Fin got up and walked to him.
"Yes you do, Hiccup. I know you do and so do you. You know why we're different. You know why we're so great and so much more then they think we are. What is that reason. I know you know what it is. Now say it, Hiccup. Say what I know you know. Prove to them we are more then what we think we are. Because that day on that ship you proved me wrong about myself. You shown me a new light and a new kind of hope. Show them. Show them what you showed me." Fin said. Hiccup sighed. "What are we, Hiccup. What's so different between a runt and a viking?" Fin asked again.
"We're weak." Hiccup said.
"Yes! Exactly! We're weak and small. Are we hopeless? We can't fight. We can't swing an axe or lift a hammer. We can't throw a bola. What else do we have to fight?" Fin asked hoping to spark a memory and get the old Hiccup back. Hiccup thought to a moment until his head snapped up and a memory returned.
"Who ever said we have to fight?" Hiccup whispered. Fin smiled.
"What did you say?" Fin asked. Hiccup turned to Fin with a smile.
"Who ever said we have to fight?" He asked with a smile. Fin smiled wider as a laugh escaped his lips. He clapped Hiccup gently on the shoulder.
All of the slaves were now looking at the two wondering what they were up to and what they were planning. Hiccup looked to them all and walking over to stand before them all.
"We are just runts. Every one of us. We can't fight. We can't defend ourselves with a weapon. We're weak and so called 'useless'." Hiccup said air quoting useless and adding a mocking tone to the word as well. But we do have one thing no other viking has. We have ideas. We have a strength different from others. Our minds." Hiccup said. The slaves climbed out of their beds and swung down to stand around Hiccup becoming intrigued by the boys words.
"What are you getting at, Hiccup?" Winston asked. Hiccup smiled as the memory came back fully.
"We don't need weapons to get through this. To get out of here and be free. We only need our minds." Hiccup said. "And if we all use our minds together, we can form a power greater than any viking and army could ever hold. Because with our ideas and determination, the road of impossibility just shifted a little closer to a road of possibilities." Hiccup said with a smile. The slaves around him clapped and cheered. Fin walked up beside Hiccup and put and arm around his shoulders.
"I'd say there in for the ride." He said. Daga stepped forward and stood in front of Hiccup. She looked ready to yell at him and tell him off, but the words that came from her lips shocked him.
"So what's the plan, Hiccup?" She asked with a small smile. Hiccup smiled were finally about to go their way.
Please review. Hiccup needs inspiration for the big plan!