"Act II"

Chapter Eight

A/N: Outline-wise, we're more or less 1/3 of the way done. Then again, I always prove myself wrong when I make these predictions so...we'll see I guess!

In response to...

The Wolf Raven: Good lord XD I feel so honored!

XxPinkMustachexX: Cool! :D I'm glad it seems legit (although, admittedly, I know only the basic about the real Viking culture...

Bob: Why thank you :D And that was only act one... *wink*

Fifi: Yep, Astrid definitely has her work cut out of her this time! And thank you, I'm glad you like it!

Guest: Eeeee~ That makes me soooo happy to hear :D Thank you :DDD

Hiccup's cell is a dark one, the single barred window not allowing very much light through its dust-caked surface. And even for someone as tiny as he is, it's a very cramped room. He barely has enough space to lay down on his back without having to pull his legs in...leaving him wondering how his father -who is much larger that he is- might be faring.

But now, Hiccup is sitting up. His back is pressed to the cold, cement wall and his head tipped back. Thoughtful, green eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. It's been a week. Seven days since Ymir attacked Berk and locked them away in their own prison... Seven days since he's seen his father or Astrid or...or Toothless.

At the thought of his friend, Hiccup releases a shuddering sigh and closes his eyes. His dragon must be miserable, wherever he is. That is, assuming he's even still alive at all... And with that horrible image in his mind, he has to swallow the sorrowful moan that is threatening to escape.

Locked away in here, cut off from those he loves, he has no idea of what is happening outside. Are his family and friends alive? Are they hurt? Could they even be locked up as well? Maybe in this very prison...

There is one thing he knows, though. If they are in jail, they're nowhere near here. No one is... Whether keeping him here, alone in an empty cell block, is some kind of sadistic game of Ymir's or a strange form of punishment, Hiccup can't be sure. But he hasn't seen anyone except for the occasional guard for the entire time he's been here. And they don't even speak his language...

So in all, after seven days of this solitary confinement, even Hiccup is beginning to feel the black claws of hopelessness creeping up on him. He remembers those first two or three days. Endless hours of searching for an escape, plotting a way out. None of them worked. Berk's prison isn't like the Outcasts'. The walls are firm and stable, no cracks or weak spots to take advanatge of. Ymir's men don't speak Norse so he has very limited ways of fooling them. Even the massive padlocks that are keeping his cell door closed were forged by Gobber, who has a way of making them extremely complex. Almost impossibly to pick with the few resources Hiccup has available to him.

In other words, he can't get away. Not on his own. Not without help. And while the prospect of someone coming to break him out kept him hopeful until yesterday, even that doesn't bring a spark to him anymore... Not today.

Maybe it's the dark, or the cold, or something else entirely... But for some reason, he just can't bring himself to get up today. He can't get his mind to think of anything but the darkness that is threatening his home and his people.

And thinking of these things is rather exhausting. So even though it's probably only early evening or so, Hiccup finds himself dozing off once again...

As the light of day begins to die off, one of those very guards pushes open the door to Hiccup's cell block. His arms are full, supporting a try of food for the young inmate. No point in letter him die, he might become important later. However, as the single man trudges toward the cell, he spots something out of the corner of his eye. The door he is sure he closed...swinging open once more.

"Quis est?!" He demands as he spins around, eyes wide. But there is no one... Sighing in relief, he kicks the door closed again and turns back, almost laughing at his own nervousness. But who can blame him? What with all the rumors of rebels among the Hooligan tribe, who they so recently took over... It was probably just the wind.

But the soldier only has time to take one more step...before he realizes how right he was to be jumpy. The last thing he sees before something quite heavy and large slams into the side of his head, is a small figure, dressed entirely in black.

Hiccup's eyes snap open at the sound of the guard dropping to the floor. He bolts upright in his stiff cot and stares into the darkness of the hallway, heart thumping. What was that sound? He asks himself.

As quietly as possible, the teen slinks out of bed. He presses his cheek to the bars, straining to see down to the door. But before he can catch sight of the unconscious soldier, a black figure appears outside the cell.

He gasps and stumbles away, nearly shrieking in terror. "Wh-who are-" He begins but is cut off when the figure -whoever they are- lifts a pale finger to their hooded lips, signaling him to hush. Hiccup reluctantly obeys. After all, he doesn't have much of a choice. If this person is here to kill him, he won't be able to get away. He's trapped. And so he goes quiet and hopes for the best...

The hooded person draws a loop of keys from their cloak and inserts one into the padlock over Hiccup's door. They struggle with it for a moment before drawing it out and trying another. This goes on for about a solid minute as they work through more and more keys. Eventually, the lock clicks open and Hiccup's stomach drops in fear.

He backs up against the wall, staring as the person enters his cell. "What do you-" Once more, he's cut off. But this time, the cause is an oddly strong pair of arms wrapping around his shoulders. He gasps, expecting there to be some kind of pain involved...but nothing happens.

When the realization strikes, it nearly topples him. "A-Astrid?!" He breathes in a shaking voice.

Finally, she releases him and steps back. "Stay quiet!" She hisses under her breath. "There are still guards outside. If they hear you, we'll get in serious trouble!"

But Hiccup suddenly doesn't care about the guards. She came for him...! And just when he'd convinced himself no one was coming to save him... "Astrid..." He whispers in a near broken-hearted voice. When he finally returns her embrace, the amount of relief in his chest is almost painful.

"I'm sorry." She says. "I wanted to come sooner but it took almost a week to get my hands on those keys. I had to make sure I knew guards' rounds before I made my move."

He nods against her shoulder. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you..."

She pulls away, just far enough to get a look at his face. "Well, by that stupid grin of yours, I'd say you're almost as happy as I am."

He laughs quietly, too relieved to be offended by her 'stupid grin' comment. "So what's up with the cloak?" He wonders. "And the terrifying silent routine? You almost gave me a heart attack, you know that?"

Now Astrid chuckles. "Sorry, I didn't want to risk getting recognized." She explains. "Ymir is pretty serious about keeping you locked up..."

Hiccup's expression darkens at the sound of his name. "So how are things out there? Did anyone...?"

"No one has died." She says. "Not yet, anyway."

He recoils. "What does that mean?"

"Ymir is paranoid." She grumbles. "Anyone who shows signs of rebellion gets thrown in jail...he claims that if he proves they were planning something, he'll execute them."

"Gods..." Hiccup moans as he sinks down onto his cot. "Well, I'm assuming you didn't come here to set me free yet?"

"Sorry." She whispers, sitting down beside him. "It would be too risky for both of us. For now, you're safer here."

He nods glumly. "What do you mean 'for now'?"

Only now does Astrid's smile return. She glances at him from the corner of her eye, which is shining with wicked determination. "We're planning something." She reveals in a hushed tone.

"Who...?" He wonders, suspiciously.

"The Riders." She tells him. "We're working on a plan to get both you and your father free."

Dad is still alive then, too...! He smiles at her. "All of them? Even the twins?" He snorts. "Doesn't exactly sound like them..."

She shrugs. "I just told them we're a super-secret rebellion that is going to save Berk and break you and Stoick out of jail. They're pretty pumped about being heroes or something."

Hiccup can't help but snicker. "Okay, that sounds like them."

Astrid nods and stands up, smiling apologetically at Hiccup. "I wanted to come make sure you're okay but I need to go before I'm found out."

He frowns but knows it's true. "Thank you." He whispers. "For everything."

Astrid rolls her eyes at his sentimentality before taking his hand and pulling him to his feet. "Thank me when I've gotten you free." She grumbles. "But for now, keep this. You might need it sooner than you think."

She uncurls his fingers and, in them, places the key to his cell. "Hide it. Don't let anyone find it."

"Right." For now, he stuffs it into his vest, making a mental note to store it somewhere later. "But before you go, Astrid..."

She pauses, waiting for his question.

"Have you...have you actually seen my father recently...?" He doesn't know what causes him to asked that. Only that he needs the answer...whatever it may be. But as soon as he sees her lips tug down and her eyes cut away, as if she's reluctant to say it...he knows something is wrong. "Astrid...?"

"I guess you wouldn't know, would you?" She sighs. "Being locked up in here and all... Hiccup..." She carefully touches his shoulder, her eyes still lowered when she says, "Ymir has called for your dad's execution."