A War Within 6

Thawing a frozen dragon was a difficult task. It had to be down slowly with a mix of hammers chipping at ice. The Berserkers were enthusiastic at first, more than happy to give their leader what he had desired since childhood but when Savage's body was suddenly dumped before the block of ice all they wanted was to free the dragon and get the hell out of there before it awoke and decided to eat them too. They were almost there. The ice was dripping and long talons were beginning to twitch. It wouldn't be long now.

Dagur monitored his men's progress but after Savage's assault on Hiccup he was reluctant to leave his lover alone for more than a few minutes. Hiccup was in worse condition than before. He was in shock and sat in the corner of the bed, pressed against the wall, head bow and sullen. He didn't look up anymore and hid under the crisp white polar bear pelt Dagur had found in one of Johann's treasure chests months ago. Now that Hiccup was cleaned and hair brushed he looked like a reluctant bride on his wedding day, no longer a virgin but equally beautiful. He no longer protested when Dagur slipped behind him and simply held him for a few hours as they gaze out the stern window at the icy waters that reached out for endless miles beyond the ship. Dagur's large fingers caressed Hiccup's arms where they stuck out of the fur as he hummed to himself.

The usually talkative Hiccup was now silent as if he had lost his voice after the last ordeal. He often fingered the slave mark on his chest and Dagur had to keep moving his hand away from it to ensure he didn't make the burn worse.

"Don't," he whispered in Hiccup's ear. "It can't be removed. You belong to me and only me. And you know it in. You've always known that." He gently tugged Hiccup's head back until it rested on his shoulder.

Hiccup sighed softly and closed his eyes, visibly worn and so bone achingly exhausted he could no longer think. He didn't want to think. He wanted to sleep. He wanted to die but Dagur would never allow that. The Berserker wouldn't even leave him long enough with a knife. Hiccup had already tried slicing his wrists twice only to have Dagur find him and the healer stitch him up and wrap the new wounds. Now, Dagur, who loved his beloved knives almost as much as his Skrill, had removed every blade and weapon from his chambers. He had stored them somewhere in the hold where a guard watched over them to keep Hiccup away from them if he somehow made it that far. The Berserkers had made the mistake of underestimating just how far Hiccup could get with only one leg when he put his mind to it. He couldn't be left alone anymore. With the option of suicide off the table Hiccup had pretty much given up. It didn't matter how much he fought Dagur always got what he wanted and now even Hiccup's body was betraying him and growing aroused by the simplest touches. His body was over sensitive and the simplest stimulation had him unravelled.

"It's alright to like," Dagur breathed against his ear as he slowly stroked Hiccup's twitching cock. "I like it when you get hard it shows me I'm doing the right thing." He chuckle lowly. "Think of it as bonding time. I'm not going to fuck you I just want you to get hard for me. Feel that? The way your stomach tightens the more I touch you. That's good, that's what you want. Cum for me, babe. Come on, you know you want to. There we go, let me hear you."

Hiccup closed his eyes trying to fight it but his body was no longer his own. He arched into Dagur and came hard, ropes of cum splattering over his belly and Dagur's hand but he didn't scream only gave a pathetic whimper as he pressed his forehead against Dagur's jaw, that patchy beard scratching his sweaty flesh.

Dagur clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "Not bad but I like your screams better than whimpers. We'll work on that." He licked his fingers clean before he brushed aside Hiccup hair and kissed his forehead. "Don't fret over it. Sex slaves take a long time to break in and we've only been together a few days. By the time we return to Berserk you'll be an expert."

Hiccup did his best to ignore him and went back to picking at the burn on his chest. But just as before Dagur caught his hand and pulled it away. They sat like that for a long time and Hiccup had begun to dose off when the first explosion occurred. It jarred both young men awake, Dagur having fallen asleep with Hiccup in his arms. The screams of Berserkers could be heard all the way in the cabin.

"My Skrill!" Dagur said delightfully. He gently slipped out from behind Hiccup and wrapped the fur securely around him to keep him warm and modest should some idiot come down to check on him. "Stay here and get some rest. I won't be long."

Another blast rocked the ship. Dagur gave a yip of cheer and hurried off to great his Skrill but Hiccup wasn't so sure. That last blast sounded awfully familiar. He knew he that sound but his mind blanked out and he got were fuzzy images that didn't make sense at first until he heard an all too familiar dragon cry.

"TOOTHLESS!" he screamed in sudden realization. It felt like forever but hope suddenly returned and hot on its heels shame and frustration. Here he was naked, bruised top to bottom with yellowish purple blotches and marked as Dagur's slave, his honor stripped from him and any chance of ever being Berk's chief when his father resigned taken away. Even if he was saved he was no better off. He was lost and confused didn't know what do to.

Toothless must have heard him. The attacks grew as did the screams of Berserkers. There was the roar of other dragons and battle cries so familiar that Hiccup nearly cried. His father's unmistakeable bellows could be heard over all the chaos, enraged and filled with bloodlust, a sound Hiccup recognized from the days when dragons were once their enemies. Hiccup shook his head and coward back. Days ago he would have wept to see his father but now, after all that had happened, he couldn't bear to show his face.

This wasn't happening.

The ship tilted dangerously to port knocking Hiccup off the bed and tumbling across the floor. He gave a cry and threw his arms over his head as items not anchored down fell on him jarring his injuries.

This couldn't get any worse.

The door suddenly opened and slammed against the wall. "Hiccup!"

Things just got worse.

Snotlout was looking around the room frantically, Gustav looking over his shoulder. Oh sweet Odin, not Gustav. The kid was too young as it was to understand any of this. What was he doing in the middle of a battle with Snotlout and Stoick? What was any of them doing there? Who fly Toothless? Hiccup's mind was racing. He couldn't form words, the only one coming to his lips being his beloved dragon. He whimpered softly hating how weak he felt and the fact that it was his judgement cousin how had to find him and would torment him about this for years to come just like he did about his missing leg and scrawny arms. The one how called him Outpost Princess and Useless and…

Their eyes met and a strange look passed over Snotlout's eyes. "Gustav, find Stoick and be careful," Snotlout ordered before entering the room further.

Gustav gave Hiccup big frightened eyes before rushing off.

"Snotlout, no…" Hiccup whimpered as he pressed himself against the wall, fearful of the look in his cousin's sapphire gaze. "Please…tell them I died. Tell them whatever you want just don't…"

Snotlout stopped in his tracks, utterly confused as he stared down at Hiccup trying to crawl away from him as if he were some sort of monster. "Hiccup, it's me…it's okay. No one's going to hurt you." But he didn't move any closer, his gaze falling on the bare foot sticking out of the fur and desperately pushing at the wood floor to get away. "Hiccup, snap out of it."

Astrid was the next to run into the room. "Gustav said Hiccup wasn't in the brig. Where is he?" she demanded before stumbling to a stop and just managing not to fall on her own battle axe. "Hiccup?" she breathed, her face going pale. "Oh Gods…"

It took a few minutes for Snotlout to get his wits about him. "Okay…his metal leg has to be here somewhere." The boat rocked. "Forget that. Stoick's going to sink this ship if we don't get Hiccup out of here soon. You take one arm, I'll grab the other, and together we should be able to get him to Skullcrusher."

Hiccup scrambled back along the wall. This was a dream, they weren't really here. "No…no, stop. Tell Dad I died and sink the ship," he pleaded. If this was real he couldn't go back to Berk. He couldn't go back to the life he used to have. There was nothing worth saving left in him.

"Hiccup, calm down," Astrid said soothingly as she knelt in front of him. She looked nearly in tears as she slowly approached him. "It's okay, it's me. It's me, Hiccup." She sniffled a little but very gently touched Hiccup's foot, letting him adjust to her touch a little at a time. She inhaled sharply when he jerked away from her. "Oh, baby, it's okay, it's me. I'm right he, Hiccup. I want to take you home. We'll go back to Berk or the Edge, wherever you want to go."

Hiccup only shook his head. He couldn't go back. It didn't matter where he went he was tainted now.

"I hate to hurry this up but we've got to go," Snotlout urged. Not one known for his patience, he grabbed Hiccup's left arm and hauled him to his feet. "Sorry, Hic, but it's time to go. You can explain everything later." Not that it needed much explaining, the fact he was wearing nothing but a fur robe pointed to the obvious. Snotlout pushed that to the back of his mind and focused on the issue of saving his cousin. This was not one of those subjects he could poke fun at.

Their young leader fought them at first but he was weakened by his time in captivity and his mind was unsettled with all that had happened to him. He struggled only for a few moments before his body gave out and he hung between them.

"Okay, one step at a time. Hiccup, you've got to move with us. I don't want to have to drag you," Snotlout explained, trying to keep his voice gentle and upbeat.

"Here we go," Astrid said gently, one arm around Hiccup's waist the other holding his arm over her shoulders. She took a deep shudder breath, gave him a gentle squeeze and then started forward. Everything was going just find until their way was blocked. "Oh shit."

A sorrowful moan escaped Hiccup and he tried pulling away from his friends but they only held him tighter. "Dagur…" he whispered.

"What do you think you're doing with my property?" Dagur demanded, his long board sword clenched tightly in one hand. The rocking of the ship didn't seem to bother him as much as it did the riders who staggered back trying to come up with a new plan. "Hand him over and I might spare your miserable lives."

"Astrid, can you hold him?" Snotlout asked as he reached behind his back for his mace.

"I've got him," she assured, tightening her grip around Hiccup waist in preparation to take on his full weight. Hiccup was never very heavy to begin with but now he felt like a rag doll, his lanky limps the only troublesome part of him since he was so tall. She took another step back as Snotlout let go of Hiccup and brought up his axe to attack Dagur. She waited for an opening, hoping that Snotlout could lure Dagur away from the door so she could get Hiccup out. This would be a perfect time for Stoick or Gobber to lend a hand but they were too busy up top leading the new riders against Dagur's men. "Hold, Hiccup, hold on," she continued to whisper, feeling him falter against her side as if he might fall.

Snotlout was struggling. He was a good warrior but he had never fought someone like Dagur who delighted in his enemy's pain and laughed manically when he landed a blow. He knocked the mace out of Snotlout's hands and kicked him to the ground. He raised his hand to land the killing blow but was stopped when an axe whooshed past his head and embedded in the wall. He turned away from Snotlout to look at Astrid with one raised brow.

"Oh oh, I forgot you had bite," he laughed as he twirled his sword with one hand. "Now why don't you be a good little girl and but him down on the bed. It's where he belongs."

"He belongs with his own kind," she argued, carefully stepping back as Dagur approached them. "With people who love him."

"With people who use him, who tells him he's no good unless he has a dragon under his command. Are those the people you want to return to, brother?" Dagur turned his focus to Hiccup, his voice a gentle purr. "With people like her who will turn you away just because you love me?"

"Hiccup?" Astrid questioned, glancing sideways at him.

Dagur gave a cruel grin. "He doesn't want to go with you, Astrid. He's not a child anymore to be seduced by sweet smiles and childish pecks on the cheek. He's mine. He likes riding my cock so much better than some dumb Nightfury."

She set her jaw and pulled Hiccup closer to her. "Stay back."

"Or what? Your axe is over there and your hero…" He glanced at Snotlout who was fighting to get his footing back. "Is a zero. Face it, Astrid, you lost."

He raised his sword and thrust toward her chest but things suddenly happened so fast that no one had a chance to stop what happened next. It was as if life came back to Hiccup. His eyes widened with a fear so feral that it claimed every inch of his soul. Regardless of having only one leg and no prosthetic to help his balance he let go of Astrid and threw himself at the oncoming blade. It went through his belly and burst out his back in a splash of blood, just missing Astrid.

Silence reigned over the cabin and seemed even the roars of dragons and explosive fire was muted out was Hiccup hung from the sword, his hands clasped around Dagur's wrist.

"Hiccup!" Astrid cried, staring in disbelief at the sword gutting out his back. "Oh Gods! Oh my Gods!"

Dagur was in just as much shock and he feared to pull the sword loose in case Hiccup bled to death. "Hiccup…" he breathed in disbelief.

A small laugh escaped Hiccup as he looked up to meet Dagur's horrified gaze. "You lost," he announced with deranged glee. "I win." He pushed off the blade and into Astrid's ready arms.

"Hiccup, Hiccup, no…what have you done," Astrid pleaded as she knelt on the floor with him.

He gave a chocked laugh and smiled up at her. "Getting back some of my honor."

"You stupid idiot. Toothless! TOOTHLESS!" she screamed knowing the dragon was within hearing distance. "Hold on, Hiccup, please just hold on."

Dagur tried taking him from her but she refused to let go and he was stuck sitting there, lost and confused and staring at the rapidly growing puddle of warm, sticky blood. "No…" he breathed before placing his large hand over Hiccup's stomach in a futile effort to starch the bleeding. His hands began shaking. It was like his father dying all over again when he lost his temper and struck out. "No, no, no, no…" he mumbled to himself, his hands now covered in Hiccup's blood.

Hiccup's eyes kept fluttering close and breaths strained and wheezing but he had the smallest of smiles. He had just won a great victory. He no longer feared death but embraced it. His smile only grew when an all too familiar and comforting roar filled the cabin and the pounding of large paws. "Toothless…" he whispered without looking up. He didn't need to. He felt Toothless near him, knew by the tap of his claws against wood, familiar with the sound crossing his bedroom floor at night. He raised a hand to touch his best friend's head. "Hey bud…"

But Toothless didn't go to him. The Nightfury saw the blood, smelt appending death in the air and mewed in sorrow.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Dagur mumbled, his hands shaking and sword discarded.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what happened. Toothless had never liked the Berserker chief but now he out right hated him. Dragons had a long memory and this assault on his rider, best friend, brother and soulmate would not be forgotten or forgiven. A rage filled Toothless that he never felt for another creature before, not even Alvin the Treacherous when he held him and Hiccup captive. Dragons only killed humans to defend themselves or those they loved and Toothless loved Hiccup like no dragon had loved a human before or after. He inhaled deeply, triggering the hydrogen glands deep in his throat while making a rumbling growl in warning.

Dagur immediately sense something was not right. He looked to Toothless thinking the dragon was in mourning but instantly realized the Nightfury had gone feral and was inhaling large amounts of air to create a powerful plasma blast. "No! No, no, no…accident! That wasn't supposed to happen." He went to stand but Hiccup's hand knotted in his tunic and forced him to stay still. All Dagur had a chance to do was look down on last time at Hiccup as Snotlout screamed out a warning and threw himself over Hiccup and Astrid. The Dagur's world erupted into blinding purple, indescribable heat and such pain he couldn't even scream to. The plasma blast was point blank and torn the Berserkers to shreds, blasting through him and straight threw the side of the ship. There was nothing left but a few scattered body parts, blood and gore that splattered all over the riders.

The ship listed terribly with the blast and many of those on deck were sent overboard into the frigid north waters. Dragons rushed to save their riders while killing off any Berserker fool enough to try and re-board the doomed vessel. Stoick caught himself on the wall as he followed young Gustav to the captain's quarters. He had never heard such an explosion and it sent chills down his spine when it was followed by Toothless's mournful cry.

"Hiccup," he breathed, thankful that the Nightfury had found Hiccup but fearing the worse. His son should have been in the brig as a prison of war, a valuable tool that could have been used to negotiate Berk's surrounded. But Dagur wasn't like most chieftains. His feud with Hiccup was personal not political. It was dark and twisted and very sexual and… Stoick had a very bad feeling.

The door to the cabin was blown wide open with burned scorch marks in the wood. Furniture was askew but what took Stoick's breath away. Half the room was covered in blood and gore. A foot detached from its body lay close to the three huddled figures in one corner. Toothless was crouched close to the blast hole panting uncontrollably with smoke spewing from his mouth and a look in his eyes that Stoick had not seen since they once battled each other in the dragon killing ring. He looked feral and untamed, an animal in every form of the word.

Stoick fought the urge to go to him and instead went to where Snotlout was bent over Astrid and Hiccup the armor on his back metal away and flesh burnt. He panted and fought to control the pain as he met his chief's gaze. "Stoick," he whispered, his voice choked with pain and emotion.

When he sat up he revealed Astrid cradling Hiccup's battered body, all three covered in blood and gore but it wasn't all from whoever was blown to Helheim. Hiccup's middle was soaked in blood and there was a huge puddle growing beneath him. Astrid's hands were soaked and big fat tears were rolling down her cheeks. Taking a deep shuddered breath, Stoick knelt next to Snotlout and took his son from Astrid's arms. The boy was still alive but just barely.

"Hi Dad," Hiccup said as if it was just any other day and he wasn't dying in his father's arms.

"Hiccup…son…" Stoick returned as he moved the furs to take a good look at the damage. His breath hitched at the sight of bare skin stained red and the blackened skin bearing the Berserker chest. "I'm so sorry. I should have been here sooner."

The boy only chuckled softly. "Dagur tricked us all but I wouldn't let him win. He lost his prize then Toothless took his life. Is it wrong that I'm happy about that?"

Stoick cuddled him against his chest, not caring of the blood staining his clothing. He tried stopping the bleeding to his son's stomach but more spilled from his back. "No, son…no, it's not wrong," he assured, sitting back with his boy. "It's not wrong at all.

Hiccup snuggled against his chest. "I missed you, Dad. I'm sorry I'm such a disgrace."

Considering Hiccup's condition Stoick was able to figure out what he was talking about almost immediately. "You're not a disgrace, son. None of this was your fault."

The boy didn't seem so certain. "I'm tired," he murmured, closing his eyes.

Tears spilled down Stoick's cheeks as he felt Hiccup's heart flutter and begin to slow. "Then go to sleep, baby. I'll be here when you wake up."

Hiccup gave one last wheezy breath before he breathed his last and his body went limp in his father's arms. Stoick held him tightly and wept, his son's blood covering him and the remains of Dagur the Deranged soaking his trousers. Astrid leaned against him, crying openly as Snotlout watched with tears flowing freely down his face. Toothless sniffed his brother and best friend then howled in anguish. His cry was echoed by all dragons near and far for a great friend to their kind was now lost to them, a friend, a brother, a dragon soul contain in a fragile human body.