Astrid woke with a start, her head lifting from cold stone as she sat up in a jolt. Confusion swam in her mind as she rubbed her eyes before reaching to the back of her head, feeling the spot underneath the curve of her skull and pulled her hand back, spotting dry blood flaking on her fingers in the torchlight. Blue eyes flicked around the room she was in before they landed on the haphazardly arranged bars - a cell. Similar to the one she'd been in when she'd come to Outcast Island to free Fishlegs close to a year and a half ago.
A cold chill ran down her spine even before she heard the laughter beyond the shadows outside her cell. Whirling around into a ready stance, she watched Heather approach the bars, flanked on both sides by two warriors, her hands on her hips as she regarded the dragon conqueror. Astrid's blood seemed to freeze in her veins as the sight of the other girl and the reality of her own situation came crashing down onto her, remembering rocks being catapaulted at her and Stormfly as they crossed into Outcast territory. Her eyes narrowed and she stood up, ignoring the rush of vertigo as she stormed over to the bars, grabbing hold of two and gripping them as though she wished they were Heather's neck. "What have you done to him?" It came out in an icy hiss, an almost berserk rage filling the pit of her stomach.
"What? No hello? Why, Astrid, we're practically family." Heather's smile told the truth as she said those words like they were the most hilarious joke in the world. She gave a small shrug, tilting her head. "I've done nothing but restore things to their rightful ways. The Outcast tribe could hardly have such a soft boy like Hiccup as its chief." She drew a hand up and inspected her nails like they had filth underneath them. "And it'd be a disappointment to eat him. All skin and bone and no muscle. A bit unsatisfying really. So I did what was best and, well, messed with his mind." Heather's expression darkened, a truly wicked look spreading across her face as the corner of her mouth lifted into a sneer. "I would have rather killed him and taken his place but Grandmother needs him alive." She pouted. "I never get to have any fun."
Messed with his mind? What did she mean by that? Astrid frowned, running her mind through the powders and teas Gothi had taught her about in the last five months. Shaking her head, she tightened her grip around the bars, knuckles turning white. "I want to see him."
Heather raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise on her face before she let out a snort of a giggle. "You want to see him? You're delusional, honey. You wouldn't want to see him in the state he's in right now. He barely recognized you when the guards brought you through after they shot you and your dragon out of the sky on my orders. If I remember correctly his exact words were 'I don't think I've ever had blonde before'."
Astrid's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach as she realized the implications behind those words, feeling her knees weaken but she used the bars to keep herself up as the warriors behind Heather sniggered quietly to themselves. A hand reached through the bars, cupping her face and making her look at the black haired girl who gave her an attempt at a sympathetic smile. "My dear, men are just pigs. Simply awful creatures," she cooed, her thumb stroking the dragon conqueror's cheek soothingly. "I'm sorry, but you have to realize he never truly loved you as much as you thought he did. He simply used you as father directed and then continued to do so even after he killed him and started using his own will. Hiccup's always been the craftier one between the two of us, the more vile one, even when we were kids. He's truly deserving of names like Horrendous and Treacherous."
For a moment, Astrid felt herself starting to believe Heather's words, nodding absentminedly as she tried not to feel her heart breaking. Keep away from her. She's dangerous. Even now, even as she was trying to stop herself from crying, those words rang in her head. Hiccup hadn't said exactly how Heather was dangerous, but now that she was in close proximity to her, feeling her hand on her cheek, she understood. Mustering up all her strength, Astrid pushed herself away from the bars, out of Heather's reach, and the cold feeling disappeared. The heaviness in her chest vanished, and she raised the back of her hand to her mouth, swallowing deeply to suppress the hiccups that had started to form. Her eyes narrowed, watching the look on Heather's face go from one of sympathy to one of annoyance. Bingo. "You're lying."
"Hm. So you're immune to my charm speak." The older girl crossed her arms over her chest, scowling before her lips lifted into a smirk. "No, not immune. Not quite. You believed me there, for the briefest moment. I'll admit I don't have as much charm over women as I do over men." Her eyes glinted and she leaned against the bars with her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the girl on the other side. "Perhaps it got to you because you'd been thinking the same thoughts?"
"Shut up!" Astrid picked up a rock and hurled it at the bars, hoping it would hit her but Heather leaned away quickly, instead causing the iron to rattle and shake. "I know what you're really after," she hissed out, fists clenching at her sides. "I know about the dragon's jewel."
Heather's expression distorted, a snarl crossing her face as her eyes narrowed dangerously, wildly. "Who told you about the dragon's jewel?"
"Heather? Who are you talking to?" The voice made Astrid's heart skip a beat, almost allowing herself to look hopeful as the guards parted for Hiccup to step through. Heather bit back a curse as her brother came to stand next to her, looking at her with a raised eyebrow before he turned his attention to Astrid. For a second it looked as though he recognized her before his brow furrowed in confusion and he raised a hand, rubbing his forehead. "Oh, right. The prisoner."
"I was just telling her not to try any funny business, brother dear," she said sweetly, moving behind him to curve her fingers around his shoulders, rubbing them gently before she nestled her chin on his shoulder, wrapping her arms snugly around his waist. "Hooligans are a crafty bunch, you know. I thought giving her a warning would be fair enough, especially so close to your coronation as King."
At the word Hooligan, his eyes widened before they narrowed again, nostrils flaring as an utterly mad look crossed his face like it used to whenever someone had so much as mentioned the name Stoick, and for a moment Astrid thought he was going to throw his axe at her like she'd seen him do to his own men in the past. "She's a Hooligan?"
"Yes. The so-called dragon conqueror." Heather's voice had dropped to a low purr, her lips quirking into a smirk as she raised an eyebrow at Astrid. "We all know how you're the real dragon conqueror, brother. Slayer of a thousand dragons. She's a thief, stolen your title and made up lies. She should be punished, don't you think?"
"She's lying!" Astrid's voice rang through the cavern as she approached the bars again, placing her hand on the middle one that ran horizontally. Confusion crossed Hiccup's face, and for a second it looked like Heather's spell was breaking before the dark look returned, the look that didn't belong there. "Hiccup, please, you have to believe me..." Her voice trailed off as Hiccup's eye twitched. Was it her imagination, or did he wink at her like he was playing the world's biggest practical joke? Her brow furrowed into worry before she pressed her forehead against the metal bars, swallowing like she was choking back a sob. "Please. I love you." Heather and the other Outcast warriors seemed to find this statement the most hilarious thing ever, because they burst out laughing.
Several things seemed to happen at once while they were distracted.
Hiccup's hand flew back, connecting heavily to Heather's chin and pushing her off of his shoulders, taking the opportunity of her shock to slam his elbow into the back of her neck, knocking her to the ground, down for the count. The warriors were too shocked by this sudden turn of events that by the time Hiccup had taken their swords from their belts and was holding the blades to their throats, they had no way to move without getting their heads lopped off. His eyes narrowed, a hiss leaving him. "If you buffoons are intelligent enough, you'll take her and lock her into one of the cells down here to be tried for treason. I'm reclaiming my status and right as chief of the Outcasts. Now do as I say and get out of my sight."
"Y-yes, sir."
The guards scrambling to pick the unconscious Heather by her arms, Hiccup stopping them long enough to grab the keys from one of them, he unlocked the door to Astrid's cell, eyebrow raised in a cocky way as he leaned against the wall of the cell. "So...you love me, huh?"
"Oh shut up." She punched him in the arm, feeling her cheeks heat up before she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder and taking him by surprise. "I hadn't heard from you for months and Gothi said it was time..."
"Hey, hey." The hand that came up to stroke the back of her head was surprisingly gentle for someone who used to be such a bloodthirsty cannibal. Maybe he really had changed since that first meeting. "Sorry, but I couldn't afford to let my cover be blown. Grandmother's taken control of the tribe. She has them out there searching for the location of the dragon's jewel. I had to pretend I was her puppet." He spat the word out, growl deep in his throat before he kissed her forehead and took hold of her hand. "Come on. Those two might've been dense but not everyone will want me back in charge. We need to get out of here."
"Lead the way."