Mission Gone Wrong

Hiccup hummed, eyes focused on the quest bulletin board. One in particular had his attention. It was calling for someone to come out and investigate a strange series of kidnappings happening in the villages of to the south. Oddly enough there was a definite pattern. The ones kidnapped were all young women, in their early twenties to late teen years. They always returned unharmed a few days later, and in additions...they were all-

"Hiccup!" Hiccup slowly turned his head to see Rapunzel and Merida happening upon him. Rapunzel as always smiled brightly in greeting as she bounded up to him. And out of the norm, even Merida gave him a small smile in greeting. This had become a norm from the redhead as it appeared their relationship had taken a step in a better direction.

"Ladies," Hiccup said with a nod.

"About to go on a quest?" Rapunzel asked. Hiccup nodded. Rapunzel smiled and opened her mouth to invite Merida and herself along, only for Hiccup to raise a hand.

"But alone this time," he said, his tone firm. The girls arched a brow at his blatant dismissal of their company. Hiccup never turned them down, he always just relented in acceptance. "Sorry guys, but I'm serious about this. I'll take Jack along with me. But you guys can't come," he said. He raised his Speculum up to the bulletin board, allowing it to record the details and send a notice to the teachers.

"But why not?" Rapunzel asked.

"Yeah...why not?" Merida asked curiously.

"Trust me on this. I'll see you guys later," Hiccup said before he walked off. The girls stared after him, brows furrowed at his strange insistence that they not come along.

Rapunzel rounded on Merida. "Merida what should we do?" she asked.

Merida stared at her with an arched brow. "I don't ken. What do you want me to do about it? He said we can't come," she said with a shrug.

"But-but-" Rapunzel stuttered. She'd wanted to go along as an excuse to get closer to him. But he'd completely shot them both down.

Merida stared at her friend as confusion, disappointment, and slight hurt flashed across her face. Merida let out a breath and sighed. "Let's go pack," she said in defeat. Rapunzel beamed and nodded giddily.

About 20 minutes later Hiccup was standing outside waiting for his roommate and travel partner to join him. Both Toothless and Stormfly, the latter of which was still being confiscated from his tribesman, were perched on his shoulders twitching in anticipation and restless for travel.

Soon enough Jack appeared. Hiccup smiled, but it faded quickly as he took note of both Rapunzel and Merida following behind him, bags packed and obviously quest ready.

"No," Hiccup said as he shook his head and waved his hands about. "No. You two are not coming with us," Hiccup said to the unwanted guests with frown.

"Why not Hiccup? The more the merrier, right?" Jack said with a shrug. Hiccup grunted and crossed his arms over his chest. "I already added them to the quest. Nothing that can be done about it now," Jack said casually.

Hiccup sighed and palmed his face. He looked to the girls imploringly. "Did you to read about the quest?" he asked.

"Jack told us it was something about kidnappings," Merida said with a shrug.

"Yes kidnappings. Of young women," Hiccup elaborated. Then his eyes fell onto Rapunzel, "All of which were blondes." The girls flinched at this new information. "Exactly. If you go with us, Rapunzel might be in danger. So, are you really sure you want to join us?"

The girls exchanged a glance, silent communication passing between them. They weighed the risks and quickly came to a decision. They looked back to Hiccup and in unison they answered with a adamant, "Yes."

Hiccup stared at them, seeing their eyes were unwavering. He sighed again and rubbed at his eyes. Well if they were insistent...

He turned and raised up his travel globe. He whispered into it and tossed it into the air before them. The portal opened and Hiccup walked toward it. The other fell into step behind him, walking through the portal and appearing in another part of the kingdom. The portal closed behind them and Hiccup turned to raise a hand, allowing the globe to come back into his palm.

Hiccup looked to his friends, his face blank. "Alright then. Let's go."

Hiccup led the group around the town, asking to speak to the girls who'd been kidnapped and the townspeople about any leads they had. All that time Hiccup was strangely silent. At least to the girls. It was evident he was displeased with their addition to the quest. His face was blank as he walked ahead of the group.

Rapunzel walked up to his side, arms behind her back as she looked at the side of his face. "Hiccup? Are you angry at us?" Rapunzel asked softly.

Hiccup frowned and came to a stop. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No. Not angry. Just worried," Hiccup admitted. "Blonde girls are the ones behind kidnapped. You could be in danger," Hiccup said as he looked to Rapunzel. She blushed a little at his admission, touched by his concern.

"She's not a babe Hiccup," Merida chimed in as she stepped forward. "She's a Knight. Danger is a part of her life now. She understands the risk," Merida said in her friend's and her own defense.

"I know but-"

"No buts. You can't treat us like some damsels in need of protection," Merida said, narrowing her eyes in challenge.

"She told you," Jack piped in with a smirk. Hiccup looked up to glare at his friend. "She's right Hiccup. They're Knights. It's a bit offensive to insinuate they can't handle themselves," Jack pointed out.

Hiccup groaned and tossed his hands up in defeat. "Ok. Fine. I'm the bad guy here for being concerned about my friend's safety. I am so sorry!" Hiccup exclaimed sarcastically. He stalked off, though some part of him knew they all had a point. He pushed it aside for later to focus on the task at hand.

The girls they got to speak to weren't much help. They'd been taken completely unaware. Blinded and bound. From what they could gather, their abductors had been men. At least two of them. They'd been taken away from the town and into the woods where the men kept them for a few days, asking them a strange series of questions and what their name was before they released them, ordering them to march back to the town without looking back lest they be killed. Hiccup frowned as that unfortunately didn't give them much to go on and the parents of the girls did want them pressured to hard during their questioning. These particular villages were a common route passed through by many a traveler. Meaning there could be a number of men passing through and present in a village at any given time.

Any traveler could be suspicious. Hiccup took them two a tavern to take a break. He opened up his map of the area and started drawing circle around every town in which girls had been abducted, along with the order. He found that their was a line making its way eastward. Hiccup hummed as he looked at the next few towns on the map that hadn't had any kidnappings.

"We need to head to the next town over," Hiccup told his friends. He gave them the details as to why he believed this and they were in agreement.

"Can we just use the globe to get there?" Merida asked.

Hiccup shook his head. "The travel globes are designed by North to transport someone to their destination and back. He makes it that way so a student won't suddenly decide they want to take a vacation somewhere in the kingdom without permission," he explained.

"Guess we should find a carriage service then," Merida offered. "There are always some in towns like these." They all nodded save for Jack.

"Or we could just fl-Ngh!" Jack was saying before being elbowed in the ribs by Hiccup.

"Good idea," Hiccup said as he acted like nothing had happened. They left the tavern and found a horse drawn carriage service willing to take them to the next town over for a reasonable price. They paid the man before loading up. The girls stared out into the distance at the back of the carriage as Jack sat next to Hiccup.

His fairy partner flew around the carriage as the dragons playfully swatted at her.

"So why are we taking a carriage?" Jack asked Hiccup.

"To get to the next town Jack," Hiccup answered like it were obvious. Jack didn't miss how Hiccup kept his voice low so the girls wouldn't hear.

"Are you really that determined to fly under the radar?" Jack asked. Hiccup didn't answer. Jack just sighed and leaned back against the edge of the carriage. He looked up to the sky and the cloud. "Yep. We could be their a lot quicker you and I. The sky, now that's the way to travel," Jack said while making it a point to look right at Hiccup.

Hiccup pretended not to hear as he kept his eyes focused solely on his map.

It was a few hours of travel before they arrived at the next town. They asked around, finding that no girl had been taken as of yet. The town was on alert, with a curfew having been put in place for all the young people to ensure no maidens would be taken. The village leaders promised the group full support. They all nodded before heading to the tavern to discuss plans. They talked about patrolling the streets at night in search of any strange characters skulking around.

Everyone nodded before taking a look around the tavern, watching the travelers passing through the town eat and make idle chatter. There were a few shady looking characters, but to say something to them just for the way they looked would be a little prejudiced. As they were looking at the other patrons the other patrons were also giving them curious stares, noting how young they looked.

Merida's sharp eyes scanned the room before landing on a peculiar sight. It was a pair of men. But what made them stick out was the fact that they were twins. Two red headed men, large and burly, spoke to each other at a table which they sat alone. Merida was immediately struck with a sense of homesickness as their red hair and similar looks reminded her of the people she'd left behind.

But as the others made to leave she was forced to stand up and follow after them. As they were leaving three eyes followed them. But their primary focus was on the blonde.

Night soon descended on the town. People turned in and the nightly patrol was relieved for the night so the group could patrol alone and without raising an alarm. They split up, with Jack and Hiccup heading one way and Merida and Rapunzel heading in the other, covering as much of the town as they could.

Jack had Tooth change into her staff form. When she'd transformed he slung her across his shoulder and drifted leisurely off the ground. He stared at Hiccup who walked with the dragons perched on his shoulder. He smirked a little and decided to make conversation. Which meant to mess with him.

"So Hiccup, you like any of the girls?" Jack asked out of the blue as he waved a hand in the direction Merida and Rapunzel had gone.

"They're good friends. Nothing more," Hiccup said blankly.

"Really? So you don't think Rapunzel is hot?" he asked with a grin.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "I'll admit she's attractive," Hiccup conceded.

"Anything else?" Jack inquired.

"She's attractive Jack. That's it."

"She's blonde," Jack pointed out. "She likes art. She's pretty smart. And you guys seem to get along..."

"Where are you going with this Jack?" Hiccup asked bluntly.

"Just picking your brain buddy," Jack said with a shrug. "I noticed Merida is actually calling you by name now," he pointed out.

"Yeah. Seems we've finally brokered a peace," Hiccup said in agreement.

As they were walking Toothless and Stormfly suddenly perked up. Toothless' eyes narrowed into slits and his ear nubs were raised.

"What is it bud?" Hiccup asked. Toothless growled and pointed his nose straight ahead. Hiccup and Jack rushed forward before stopping as Toothless suddenly looked in the shadows between two houses. He growled lowly and the Knight could make out something moving in the darkness.

"Stop right there!" Hiccup demanded. The things in the darkness suddenly bolted to the back of the house.

"I'll cut them off," Jack said as he flew higher in an attempt to get around whatever was fleeing. Hiccup meanwhile rushed forward, Toothless assumed his shield form while Stormfly took to the air, waiting for the signal to assist. Once they got to the back of the house they saw two figures in dark hooded cloaks. They split up.

"I got this guy," Jack said as he took off after one. Hiccup pursued the other. The figure, likely a man, had some kind of sack over his shoulder. Hiccup couldn't help but think it may have been a hapless girl being kidnapped. He narrowed his eyes and cocked back his arm. He stopped, planting his foot and throwing it forward. Toothless flew off his arm, spinning before colliding with the figure's back. The figure cried out before falling to the floor while Toothless bounced back to Hiccup.

Hiccup secured his partner before quickly closing the distance. As the figure tried to stand up he rammed his shield against the back of his head with enough force to knock him out. Once the man was out Hiccup made his way to the sack. He tore it open and paused.

Inside the sack were an assortment of items. Goblets, candle holders, a small jewelry box. Hiccup groaned, realizing he'd just caught himself a common thief. The wind blew around him, and the other cloaked figure was ungraciously dropped onto the ground near him. Hiccup looked to see Jack holding a sack and wearing a frown.

"They're just thieves," Jack said in disgust.

Hiccup nodded. "Yeah. Probably just passing through. Would've disappeared by tomorrow no doubt," Hiccup reasoned. "Let's get them to the proper authorities," Hiccup said. They each hoisted a man onto their shoulder before carrying them to the town jail.

Hiccup and Jack handed the thieves off to the local authorities who proceeded to lock them up and then thank the two of them. Hiccup and Jack accepted their thanks before leaving. After a bit more patrol they decided to check on Merida and Rapunzel. They walked through the empty town, the street lit by lamps lining the streets in search of their friends.

Suddenly they stopped, noting something laying in the street up ahead. They approached warily, getting closer and closer until they could make out a coppery red. They rushed forward before finding Merida, laying in the streets, eyes closed and unconscious with a small welt on the back of her head.

Hiccup kneeled down, cradling her to him before shaking her. "Merida! Merida!" he said urgently. Merida gave a small groan before her eyelids fluttered open. She suddenly sat up with a gasp before looking around frantically.

"Where's Rapunzel!"

The boys suddenly realized that their blonde friend and Merida's partner was indeed absent.

"They got her! Snuck up on us and hit me over the head before we could get out wits about us," Merida said as she tried to stand. She hissed, head pounding and world spinning.

"Easy," Hiccup said as he eased her down. He looked to Jack. "Jack, get a bird's eyes view," he told him.

"On it," Jack said as he took to the air.

"Oh you were right Hiccup. We shouldn't have come. We shouldn't have come," Merida said miserably.

"Easy Merida. We'll find Rapunzel," Hiccup said as he looked up into the distance. "Promise."

Meanwhile the blonde knight was unconscious, bound, and gagged. Being carried away from the town and away from her best friend, her partner, and her new life.

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