So Much More
By: Selim
Summary: As future king, Toothless was entitled to the wealth, power, and women that came with the job. A chance meeting with a creature from another world teaches him that there's so much more outside his world and only he can protect it. Antro-Toothless x Hiccup
Warnings: AU-AR, Antro-Character, sug. human sacrifice, sug. dragon slavery
Pairing: Toothless x Hiccup
Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train Your Dragon. This is a piece of fiction and the author is not making any money off its creation.

Maybar prided herself in knowing the palace. As a young girl, she had snuck into the palace on multiple occasions to meet with Massclaws so Toothless would not be jealous of the time spent with the younger prince. The winding passages under the castle led as far out as Crystal City in which retreat from the palace would be possible should it ever need to be done.

It was first built by King Acidbreath during the Species War. The small terror had not created the tunnels with someone like Maybar in mind but it did its magic to keep nightmares like Fishhook out.

Hand grasped with the tiny human, the princess slipped past a jutted sharp rock, only wincing as its jagged edge sliced into her arm. Part of her brain chimed that she should have stayed in the palace, seeking out Massclaws or Toothless, but she quickly reasoned that Fishhook still had high standard in the royal court. She hadn't even expected him to be part of the slave trade, especially since he had been part of their group when they had been hatchlings.

"Maybar!" Hiccup cried out, brushing against the same edge. He tried to pull back, to stop where the walls were tight, but Maybar pulled him on as if he were one of her two girls, trying to get out of a task. "Maybar! See Toothless!"

"We have to get you to safety first, Hiccup! Between me and Fishhook, Toothless will sooner believe his best friend about these events and you'll be deposited right into that ugly nightmare's hand while I'm sent away to my rooms for attempting to kidnap the human." At least until her husband could sort out the truth. This was terrible; she should have been in the palace relaxing, ensuring the safety of her egg instead of fleeing into the city with the only human left in their lands, away from the slave traders.

The boy, of course, didn't understand her and tried pulling away again. Firm grip still there, Maybar moved through the tight caverns with more purpose. She stopped short of the main wall, a purposely designed blocked passage. "Hiccup." She pulled him towards the soft end of the cavern. "Stay." She placed her hand firmly on the human's chest. "I'm going to check that it's safe."

Hiccup didn't move as she dropped her hand.

Exhaling heavily, the young princess pressed on an old stone worn into the stone block. From it, as she had anticipated, the wall slid open enough for her to slip her large body through and into the open wall of a cavern wall deep in the beaches of Crystal City. Above ground, she could hear the gathering of marketers, unaware that just under their feet, hidden off by the rock and tide was a cavern leading deep into the castle.

It was hard to imagine that, at one point, the caves had led its refugees to nowhere but so long as the channel remained mostly unknown, it wasn't her problem.

Sneaking along the cave walls, she glanced over the slit through the hill, towards the beach. Besides some fisherman boats further out, it was empty in that area. Her toes scrapped along the stubborn rocks as she snuck out of the cave, moving along the foothills around to the merchant quarters. No one paid her any mind; too busy collecting their goods before dusk. Her quick eye caught three guards, none of which she was eager to run to at the moment.

But where to take Hiccup until I can return to the castle?

Her wrist being grabbed stopped her from questioning. Turned, she faced the angry nightmare guard. Fishhook's breathing was labored, suggesting his flight from the castle immediately when she'd gone missing. "Let's not make this any more public than need be, princess." He pulled at her arm, into his body. "Where is the human?"

"Dead." Maybar hissed. "As he needs to be to protect the throne."

Fishhook growled. "Check the escape cavern." He tossed over his back at a nadder wearing the house uniform.

Biting her tongue, Maybar watched the nadder slip easily into the cavern. What should have been immediate finds became moments and then actual minutes. Breath caught, the princess watched and listened as the nadder slipped back out with an apologetic shake of his head.

"He's not there, sir."

Fishhook growled, his hold tight on the princess. "Keep checking the caves. My lady, you know you shouldn't be out of the castle so close to the prince's courting announcement." The last bit was said loudly for the onlookers as the guard dragged her through the crowds towards an open carriage that would (if believed) take her to the palace. Slipped into the back canvass, she was met by two nightmares, one in house uniform the other wearing clothes befitting of someone in the northeast.

"My princess." The commoner bowed his head apologetically, holding two sets of slave ankle chains. With two nadders in front and Fishhook at her flank, Maybar swallowed her pride and fixed her skirts as she settled against harsh wood, ankles extended for the slave traders to hook her up. "You didn't think I wouldn't be aware of the escape caverns, would you, Maybar? An old childhood friend? Next head of the guards?"

"If Toothless learns of this, you'll be next in the gallows." Maybar hissed.

The nightmare shook his gemless head. "Me? Oh no, no, no. I didn't abduct the human. As far as the castle is aware, you - who always hated him - was last to be seen with him and then both of you just... vanished. My hands are clean of all this."

"So you found Hiccup, have you?" Maybar smiled. Fishhook's face curled with a scowl, suggesting they hadn't - yet. "He's a rather slippery, isn't he? I mean, to escape your boys twice? He really knows what he's doing." But she couldn't help to wonder where it was in those caves Hiccup had disappeared to now. She'd only left him for a minute, had he taken that small amount of time to run back towards the castle side, where the pantries successfully hid the door?

The boy was a bit of a glutton, she wouldn't put his past him to be back in the palace sneaking some food on his hike back to Toothless' bedchambers to hide. The boy's head was a complicated mess but it seemed, for once, his fear of the world had worked for their benefit.

"I didn't lose him," Fishhook grumbled, defensively. "I had already made the sale when he slipped from their possession. I'm simply making a sale on another human."

Maybar's frown deepened. "Wouldn't your buyer be angry that you're reselling his property?"

"They should have kept a tighter grasp on him, shouldn't they have?" Fishhook smiled, head tilted back. "But, I don't think they're going to make a lot of noise about this. Hold tight, we'll find him and be out of here by morning."

"You can't sell me." Maybar hissed.

Fishhook smirked. "You? No. However, I understand there's a demand in the market for night fury, and there's only one person in this camp that might be holding one. You're almost finished with your gestation period, aren't you?" He smiled as Maybar shifted back.

Hiccup waited as long as it took for Maybar's leg to leave the thin slit in the cavern before taking off in the other direction. The caverns they went through had been a straight shot, a good half an hour's walk, that let out in an abandoned pantry off the kitchens. It had been hidden by a shalf that Maybar easily pushed aside but Hiccup didn't have any question that he could make it through the same door from the opposite side.
He heard the footsteps following him as he made it to castle opening.

Taking a deep nervous breath, Hiccup pushed on the wall, trying to find the hidden switch that had been on the other wall. Was that Maybar coming for him? Back pressed against the wall, he watched the thin caves nervously as the clicking of boots became louder.

His hand slipped back, wedging the door open enough to cause him to fall back. As he slid against the ground on the other side, the barrier between the palace and the caverns closing and the pantry slid on its own back into place. Eyes wide, Hiccup slid back until his back pressed against the flat wall, watching the pantry with a mixture of surprise and horror.

They said they weren't gods but that was beyond even Gobber's technique. Basins of constantly warm water, creatures of legend walking on two legs, and able to encourage evil from a body - it was hard to believe they weren't gods as he had always been told. Such magic could only exist in the world of gods.

Oh no, Maybar's in danger! I have to get to Toothless!

Stumbling to his feet, Hiccup propelled himself towards the main kitchens where the head chef (a short, fat dragon) twisted to face him with a snarl.

"Not again. No. Dinner is at dusk - you can eat when everybody else does!" She pressed her nicely painted claws against his back, pushing him in the direction of the main servant halls. "You're worse than the rats! Out! Out!"

"You have to help! Please, I want to see Toothless!" Hiccup twisted to grab her arm, but she was faster. Arm under his armpit, she just nearly picked him up and carried him out to the hallway. The door to the kitchens was slammed behind her, firmly placing a barrier between them. "Your food stinks!" Hiccup shouted back, mentally retracting the comment because it certainly beat the plain gruel he'd eaten since deciding to represent Berk, five years earlier.

Tight fist, he turned heel and darted through the more familiar halls. Each guard he saw either positioned against a wall or walking down a corridor was avoided in favor of a path less traveled. He found himself traveling into places he hadn't known existed, from a wide dome chamber to rooms filled to the brim with books. Arms shaking, Hiccup shifted into another hall as he passed over the antechamber. Facing straight ahead, Hiccup stomped back the way he came, only to stop short as he saw the house uniform coming towards him.

Have to help Maybar, just get past him.

Or...

Hiccup stepped into the middle of the hall, hands cupped behind him to stare at the guard. The guard stared back, blue head tilted to the side.

"Shouldn't you be with the Prince, little one?" The blue dragon stepped closer, arms dropped to his side.

Cheer across his face, Hiccup's proudly held up a vase he'd grabbed only seconds before. "I have a gift for you."

"What do you have there? The First Reigning Lord's... Antique...Vase..." The guard's jaw dropped. "I, it's very lovely, Little One, but...let's put it back where it belongs..." He stepped closer, his hands up in a pacifying manner. Hiccup's smiles stretched into a snarl as he swung his arm back, precariously holding the vase. As he pulled forward, he released his grip on the vase, tossing it towards the open corridor intersecting the one the guard was walking.

The guard immediately jumped towards the vase, trying to catch it before it hit the ground and Hiccup used that opportunity to run past him, towards the familiar hallways leading to the bedrooms.

The halls leading to Toothless' chambers were strangely empty as Hiccup rushed through them, very much aware of the guard on his trail.

Toothless was sprawled out on his bed, tail slack between his open legs. Whoever had brought him upstairs after that display downstairs had simply dumped him on the bed, in full uniform. Arm tossed over his head, neck craned back, the dragon snorted in his sleep.

Climbing on the bed, Hiccup nudged the dragon's shoulder. "Toothless, wake up!" When Toothless didn't budge, he grabbed one of the ear folds on the top of the dark skinned creature's head, pulling on it just as the doors were thrown open and the guard, flanked by two others, stomped in.

"Mmgh..." Toothless swatted at him, twisting onto his side.

"Stupid human, get out of here," Hissed the guard who had caught his elbow. Shrugging him off, Hiccup tugged harder on the ear fold.

Clenching his eyes, Toothless growled. "Leave me alone, Hiccup..."

"Toothless-! Maybar's in danger!"

Toothless groaned, rubbing his hand down his face. "She's a bitch, Hiccup. Don't take offense at anything she says or does." He flicked his wrist absently. "Grounder, please take Hiccup to either my mom or Fishhook. I just need a few more hours before Flaremoth visits."

"Of course, My Prince. Come along, Little One. The guy laced his bulky arms around Hiccup, pulling on the human. Not releasing his hold on Toothless, Hiccup screamed. Toothless cried out as well as his head was tugged as well.

"Fine! I'm up! Let go!" Toothless pulled out of bed on wobbly legs. He rubbed his head again, dislodging Hiccup's hand from his horn. The guard dropped his hold on Hiccup, backing up to give the both space. Straightening his clothes, Hiccup glared at the guard before turning back to the prince to yank on the dragon's arm. "What has him in such a fit?" Toothless crouched up, covering his head.

The guard grumbled. "I don't know, My Prince. He seemed fine in the hall and then he threw one of the First Reigning Lord's vases and took off towards your rooms." He glowered at the human who glowered back.

"Ignore him, we got to help Maybar!" Hiccup climbed off the bed, slipping Toothless' arm under his. With all of his weight in his legs, he tried dragging Toothless to the door but the dragon, even with a hangover, was dead weight. "Those bad men got him, Toothless!"

Exhaling, the night fury brushed the line of horns on his head. "Okay, okay. Let's go see what has you scared now." He climbed to his feet. "After, I want you to bring him to my mother." He nodded to the guards to follow so he could part ways sooner.

With Toothless now following, Hiccup retraced his steps to the kitchens. The lead cook immediately humbled seeing the prince, patting her apron lovingly. "Well, he didn't tell me he was that hungry."

"No!" Hiccup grabbed the dragon. "Just a little bit farther!" He pulled towards the outer doors, leading into the pantry. It made the cook fluster but Hiccup ignored her for the time being. He would fight his own battle with the cook, another day, but Maybar was all that mattered at the moment. "This way!" He dashed past the delicious looking cake on the counter for the door. Toothless followed after, dragons tailing behind. Even the cook tilted her head in surprise, straddling behind to see what was going on.

At the wall, Hiccup slipped his hand along all the books donning the shelf, trying to find the one Maybar had touched earlier. Toothless grumbled behind him, "Hiccup there's nothing to see-" Hiccup glanced at the dragon, wondering what was being said. Standing on his tip toes - because really, why was everything made for giants in this world - Hiccup grabbed the blue book on top and pulled. It didn't slid out into his hand as the other's hand, leaving a trace of warmth in his hand as the door slid open.

The guard and chef glanced around Toothless. "How long has that been there? Does Captain Fishhook know about this?" The guard bit his bottom mouth fold.

Hiccup pulled Toothless' hand, into the dimly lit caverns. Maybe Maybar had come back and the person following had only been his imagination? "We know of this cavern. The alternate end isn't accessible without a royal seal, so only Fishhook has access to it on the guards. Hiccup," He turned his attention to the brunette, who looked up expectantly, "You cannot play in this tunnel. If you get to the other side, you will be locked out of the castle. Bad place, Hiccup."

"No," Hiccup stomped his foot. "You have to listen to me! Bad...bad..." He rushed to the guard, still trailing behind and pulled on the uniform. "Bad!"

"What? Sir, I-" The guard flushed.

Toothless held up his hand, the fold of his ear rising. "Quiet." He stared off away from the palace.

"Tooth-" Hiccup started but the dragon's fingers pressed against his lips, effectively silencing him. Biting his bottom lip, Hiccup settled down, staring into the distance as his ears picked up the soft grumbling of the dragon's tongue in the distance. Definitely not Maybar's firmer, motherly voice.

Raising his hand, Toothless pointed at the chef, then the door. Without further prompt, the chef tore out of the caverns, back to the safety of the kitchens. Nibbling his bottom lip, Hiccup slipped under Toothless' arm, starting towards the voices. Grumbling lowly, Toothless followed and was forced in inhale deeply to slip through tight spots.

"-That's human's made of butter, I swear. We've been through this cave five times, there's no way out except where we came from, where could he be hiding?"

"Maybe he's a bat? Have you looked up at the ceiling?"

"Ugh, the thought that he's crawling around up there gives me nightmares. I heard when he escaped from the original buyers, he cracked one of the guard's head opened - with his fist."

"Shit, no? Gods, the way the prince babies him, I thought he was made of parchment or something."

Toothless scowled. Pulling Hiccup behind him, he moved forward, until his back was pressed tight against one of the turns of the cavern. Focused on what was happening, he didn't notice Hiccup slid under him until Hiccup was rushing through the caverns. "Fuck!" Toothless tore after. He slid to a stop, arms wrapping around the human as the voices grew more distant.

"Let's just go tell Fishhook we didn't find 'im. Maybe that bitch is telling the truth and she killed him?"

Hiccup wiggled, trying to get the dragon off of him. "We have to-" He gasped as Toothless' big hand pressed against his mouth, effectively cutting him off. Toothless growled low. The guard lowered his head, shame across his face.

"Sir, I'm sure it's not...Captain Fishhook would never..."

"Hiccup, do they have Maybar?" Toothless enunciated the names while pointing towards the location of the voices. Finally, he realizes what's going on. Hiccup nodded his head.

"Bad...have...Maybar." Hiccup tried in their language.

Toothless rubbed his head. "We'll get her back." He rubbed Hiccup's scalp. "Grounder..."

Hiccup's eyes widened, realizing immediately the night fury was going to send him away. Grabbing the prince's arm, Hiccup shook his head. "I want to go with you."

"Grounder, watch my back. Hiccup, stay behind Grounder." Toothless moved forward, still crouched low. Grounder slipped Hiccup behind him, moving a short length away from the prince. Hiccup stood on his tip toes to see over both dragons but came up short as they moved to the end of the tunnel where the wall was still split, leaking in the natural light from the beach. Grounder made a low growling noise, which Toothless growled back but Hiccup was already crawling under them, out the wall.

Two dragons were climbing over the sand dune, backs turned. One was dressed in the same uniform as Toothless and Grounder, his little wings pressed against his back as he moved, his friend towering above but in common garb Hiccup had seen on people visiting the castle. The guard waved onlookers off, talking in low grunts with merchants standing by. Behind him, his knee was grabbed and Hiccup glanced back at the dark dragon, pointing towards the off roads where overgrowth leading towards the northern trails would follow out.

"Stay back. I want to catch the son of a bitch." Toothless grasped Hiccup's hand, pulling the boy off towards the outer skirts of the merchant hold, thumbing his hand over a rock to close the refuge hatch as he went.

Hiccup stared up at the world around him, plagued with the sudden realization that he'd seen this place before. In fact, he'd been near here when he'd taken off the first time, only to end up in the castle when he'd traveled to the east. Hand firmly being held by Toothless, Hiccup was restricted to follow at a brisk walk, a reasonable distance from the two men.

As the forest grew dense, with no paths so to speak. Hiccup stayed close to Toothless, carefully moving over foreign flora with a critical eye as Toothless led the group on a parallel trek after the strange dragons, using the cover of foliage to conceal them.

Bare feet curling in the thick plant life, Hiccup held his breath as a cart came into view. Toothless covered his mouth quickly, ducking the group into a bush.

In the center of trees, next to the cart, the tall nightmare, Fishhook, stood in front of Maybar, a snarl across his face. Hiccup tucked himself under Toothless, watching the interaction and wishing he could understand what was being said between the two. Whatever it was, Maybar was looking scared inside the carriage.

She shook her head, voice ringing out, "You have another month until my egg gestation is over."

The nightmare snarled, his hand wrapping around her throat. "Eggs don't need their mother's internal incubation after two months. You, My Lady, are at four months."

"You will never get away selling my young! If Massclaw's finds out-!"

"After it's spread that he had something to do with the human's first disappearance, he won't have any power to save anyone!"

The princess hissed. "No one would never believe that!"

"The crown prince has put me in charge of the investigation. Any evidence that comes forward is under my thumb, they'll believe whatever I tell them. King Toothless - a wonderful puppet for the thrown, don't you think?" He patted her cheek. "And without a child, last to have been with the human, you're nothing more than a liar - a power hungry bitch." The dragon stepped back when the two patrols from the caverns stepped into the open area. "Where is the human?"

"He wasn't there, sir." The dragon without the uniform dug through his pockets, pulling out a small packaged bundle. "But we did make the trade with the main traders. He'll keep an eye out for anything... not dragon and will return it to us." He slipped the bundle into Fishhook's open hand.

"Blue cohosh, banned by the late King Bright for its risky side effects in not just inducing labor, but also miscarriage. Very nice." He tightened his grip around the burlap bag.

Next to him, Toothless swallowed loudly, but didn't move. Hiccup tensed, scared about how far Toothless was going to let the awful dragon go with Lady Maybar.

Fishhook pinched open the bag, dropping a green leaf with dark blue berries slip freely. "'I regret to inform the royal house that the princess has passed on.'" He made bowed over Maybar, pushing her head back.

Hiccup tore out from under Toothless, towards the group. The folly of his actions was lost until the moment he was grabbed by the two stunned onlookers. Screaming, he kicked at one of their shins while trying to bite the hand on his arm. "Leave her alone! You big - big - big demon!" His ankle clipped the uniformed dragon's horn, shooting a sheering pain up his leg while effectively breaking the appendage.

The creature howled, tossing him forward. Sliding against the dirt and rock, Hiccup groaned as he tried to stand, but the leg he'd used against the dragon slipped out from under him. Crumpled at their feet, Hiccup stared in horror as the uniform dragon from the caves came towards him, clawed hand extended.

Toothless' roar filled the clearing. The dark dragon leaped out from the foliage, onto the uniformed guard. Hiccup swallowed as the teeth he'd seen only in passing flashed out, digging into the attacker's throat. The palace guard that had followed Toothless came out as well, attacking the uniformed one.

Fishhook released his hold on Maybar, twisting towards the arrivals. "T, Toothless..."

The night fury turned his attention towards his prize guard. Rising from the lax victim of his first attack, the prince growled. "Get away from her!"

"Toothless, listen to me! I'm helping you!" Fishhook hissed. "Removing the competition for the throne so the rightful king can rise-!"

The night fury swung his fist, missing the nightmare's chin by a few centimeters. Whirling back, Fishhook's own punch connected with a sickening crack that knocked Toothless down, if only for a second before retaliating.

Hiccup crawled to the side towards Maybar, who was watching the scene with shock. Bent behind next to her shackles, Hiccup analyzed the irons. "Not safe here..." He whispered to himself. "N, need a thin pick." He moved around the carriage, through the boxes that had been placed strategically to protect the one's navigating the odd contraption. Wedging around one of the heavy crates, Hiccup shifted his shoulders and jerked as the carriage rocked. Above him, one of the crates fell from its perch, breaking along the wooden carriage bed, revealing a crate of fine accessories. Picking at the wood under, Hiccup loosened a sturdy, yet thin, chip of wood before moving back towards Maybar with every intention of attempting to pick the lock, just as his old teacher Gobber had taught him over five years before.

Outside, Toothless shook his head. Mouth bleeding from a tooth that had grazed sensitive gums, he scrutinized his opponent. Fishhook returned the glare before setting the charge forward. His heavier, longer body supplied heavy power, but Toothless' smaller form provided speed. Slipping under the bigger form, Toothless grabbed a wing at the base while his foot blocked the nightmare's ankles, knocking the beast off his feet and into the side of the carriage for the second time.

The nightmare didn't get back up. "Secure him." He ordered the guard he came with. "Maybar! Hiccup!" He climbed into the open bed.

Hiccup glanced up from his work just as the lock clicked free, releasing Maybar from her binds. Gathering to her feet, Maybar swung herself into the night fury's arm, breathing heavily. Arms around his sister-in-law, Toothless smoothed his hands over the back of her head. "...I have you; you're safe. Both of you."