Chapter 98: Almost Drowning (AU)

(Eret's POV)

We're on the back of Drago's ship, about to quite literally walk the plank.

"Please, ladies first." I remark, hoping phase one of my plan will go off without a hitch, despite Drago Bludvist literally raping my wife in front of me just moments ago.

"After what your wife just went through, and saying 'ladies first', you are a steaming heap of dragon – "

Splash.

I pale at the sound, and Ruffnut and Tuffnut join me at the edge of the plank.

It's then we realize who had been pushed...or had jumped.

"Did someone push her?" I ask, not accusingly, but concernedly.

"No, of course not!" Becky's friends ring out in almost unison.

I swallow hard...my wife...the love of my life, she's trying to –

"Cut me free. Do it now!"

"Eret, what are you -" Astrid starts.

The soldier cuts me free, and I dive into the water, hoping to spot her.

I do.

I swim as fast as I can towards Becky and I grab her, firmly but gently.

When I surface with her, one of Becky's friends throws down a rope to pull us up.

"You saved our sister's life. Again. Thank you so much." Tuffnut tells me once we're back onboard.

"Don't thank me yet." I reply. I place my ear on Becky's chest, hoping to hear a heartbeat.

It's faint, but it's there. I hear her inhale and I quickly turn her on her side, rubbing her back to expel the water.

"Oh, thank the gods." I whisper.

"Why did you save me? We both know I'm better off dead." Becky whispers hoarsely.

"Love, that is not true. That is absolutely, without a doubt, not true."

She breaks down and I don't hesitate to hold her.

"Shhh. I'm here, honey. I'm here. I promise, my darling. It's okay. It's okay."

I help my wife stand up and I wrap an arm around her. I knock out Drago's soldiers while Becky leans on Tuffnut, and then I cut the rest of Becky's friends free.

I tell the others to check the traps for their dragons. It's high time my wife and I talked alone.

"Honey, first and foremost I want you to know that I am not mad at you. I'm just so, so worried about you, love. Why would you even attempt suicide again?" I whisper to her as we walk around the back of Drago's ship.

"Because Drago tortured me in front of the people I love most. You, and Ruff and Tuff...Astrid, I'm sure, couldn't care less. She's the reason I was banished from Berk." She shakily sighs, going over to the railing of the ship.

"I just feel like a failure as a wife. You and I haven't even been married for a year, and I've already screwed up so much, and I just...I don't feel like I'm good enough for you, Eret."

"Honey, has Drago said anything to make you feel this way?"

"No...but they're just facts."

"According to whom, love?"

"My inner demons."

"Oh, my love. Your demons are lying to you. I promise you that."

"I'm just so scared he's going to hurt me again, or worse, hurt you, Eret."

"Oh, baby, it's going to be okay. I promised you a while ago that we would get out of Drago's grasp for good, and I tend on keeping that promise. Okay?"

"O-okay."

"Come here."

I open my arms and let Becky be enveloped in them. She begins to sob, and I do what I can to comfort her. Gods, what I wouldn't do to take her pain away, every last bit of it.

Soon, we get on the dragons, me saving Stormfly with my wife by my side, both of us thanking the Nadder for saving our lives, and we ride into battle at the dragon's nest.

I just hope my wife will be okay.