It took the combined strength of both Hiccup and Astrid to swing the dungeon guard room's door shut. The monstrosity of wood and iron protested loudly all the way, setting their nerves on edge and making them grateful when they could finally bring the barricade down in front of it.

"Somebody probably heard that," Astrid whispered, grasping the padlock and shoving keys into the hole one by one.

"Well, you weren't exactly quiet…"

"I meant the door, genius. And neither were you, mister 'we need a better plan'." She gave a frustrated grunt. "Aaggh, stupid lock…"

Hiccup took the ring from her momentarily, selecting a key that closely resembled the ironwork on the door and handed it back.

"Try this one."

It slid easily into the keyhole, turning all the way around until a quiet click signaled security.

"Nice," Astrid approved, sidestepping Hiccup to peer down a metal grate set in the stone floor. "Very nice. You're pretty handy in a pinch. I think I'll keep you around."

"No argument here…" he drifted, eyes narrowing. "Wait, I know that look. That's the I'm-about-to-do-something-sneaky look."

His wife stood with one arm extended over the grate, keys dangling precariously from a finger. With a quick flick, she sent them jingling into the blackness below.

"Oops," she said innocently.

"Wha…whaaaadid you just…" Stuttering with disbelief, Hiccup hopped to the grate, pointing to the abyss, then casting her a half amazed, half horrified. "You remember we're not the ones trying to start a war, right?"

"That can't have been the only set of keys to this place," Astrid reassured, now rushing past him and down the skinny hallway. "Somebody'll be around to let them out sooner or later. C'mon, we need to move—"

"Oy!" a thin voice sliced through the conversation. "W-wot're you two doin' ou'?!"

Startled and off guard, the couple glanced up, expecting another warrior bristling with weapons. What they got instead brought them to a standstill out of sheer surprise and unabashed relief.

"Ohhh, ok," Hiccup breathed. "We're good. It's just a…"

Astrid relaxed as well. "Yeah, just a…"

"Jus' a wot, exactly?!"

Drawing a small, rather blunt and dented knife from a loose belt, the skinny youngster (probably an errand runner or messenger) took an overly confident step.

"No, no, sorry, I meant just a…" Hiccup struggled to find the right words, floundering miserably, "just a…you. Whatever you are…"

The lad scowled. "I'll 'ave you know I'm a member o' the chief's own council! 'Portant one a' tha'! Come a' me, fools! I'll take you ou' wif one swing! I'll frow you both back in the dungeon meself, just you watch!"

Astrid sighed. "I'll handle this."

"You'll 'andle wot now…?"

"Heh," Hiccup chortled dryly in return, folding his arms and leaning against the wall to watch, "let me know if you need any help with this guy."

"I'm warnin' you!" The flamboyant self-assurance of the newcomer shrank markedly as Astrid advanced and overshadowed him. "Don'choo come…don'choo come no closer! I'm…I'm armed and—AAGGHCK!"

Without a second for a thought of escape to cross his mind, the young man found himself locked in the not-so-tender hold of the seasoned warrior, one limb twisted behind his back and his own knife pressed into his throat. The boy was in no danger as Astrid only wanted to get his undivided attention, and as if following some unwritten but well-rehearsed protocol, she got right down to business.

"Listen carefully," she hissed in his ear. "We need our weapons and we need our dragons, pronto. Got it?

The lad nodded with vigor. "Y-yeah, yeah...I fink I go' it."

"Where are they?"

The boy hesitated, then snuffled and put on a mildly defiant air. "I ain't tellin' you noffin'. No' one bit."

"Ugh, seriously?" Almost seeming bored with the whole affair, Astrid rolled her eyes. "Hiccup? A little motivation, if you will?"

"One fiery serving of intimida—uh...motivation, I mean, coming right up." With a click and a whoosh, Inferno was ablaze in his hands, leaving blinding trails of flame as he swirled it through the air. He tossed it expertly, spinning around and catching it behind his back. "Now, I believe the lady asked you a question. Don't want to disappoint her, hm? Baaad idea."

The teen flinched, but surprisingly offered nothing more than a comically set jaw. Perhaps it was time to take things a step further.

"Ok, points for bravery, I'll give you that much," Hiccup said, moving forward but maintaining a safe distance, "but if you don't mind, we're kind of in a hurry here, soooo…any time you're ready to spill would be fantastic." He lowered the sword to the young man's eye level, bobbed it up and down, drew a slow circle of flame and watched the brown eyes trace every mesmerizing movement. He never intended to harm the boy, of course, just give him enough of a show to scare out some answers. A burning sword a few feet away from one's face is incredibly persuasive, but it appeared that this case might require a small, encouraging nudge. Hiccup halted the Dragon Blade, then twitched it ever so slightly…

"Gaah!" The youngster jumped, turning white as seafoam. "Armory's up a floor, down the hall, firs' door on the left!"

"Thaaaaank you. And the dragons?"

"Busted ou' the place righ' after you woz caugh' and all Helheim broke loose wif'em," he spluttered, tripping over his own words. "Prolly runnin' wild 'cross the island as we speak. It's the honest trufe, I swear!"

"Perfect." The sword was quenched and retracted. "That'll be all. Thank you for your cooperation and have a nice day."

Before the bewildered boy could blink, Astrid brought the thick handle of the knife down on his head with a dull thunk. He crumpled to the ground in a heap at their feet.

"What?" Shrugging off the open-mouthed stare her husband was giving her, Astrid turned and continued up the hallway at a trot. "Oh, come on, I didn't hit him that hard. Besides, what else were we supposed to do with him?"

"Good point, I guess." Hiccup's eyebrows flicked upward as he followed. "Couldn't we have shoved him into a closet or something?"

"This is a dungeon, Hiccup. I don't know about you, but where I come from, dungeons don't usually have closets."

There was no arguing with that. Or her.

"Ok, all right, dumb question. But I won't lie, you terrify me sometimes."

She gave teasing laugh. "Well, somebody's got to keep the Chief in line and out of trouble."

"Good thing I married my own personal body guard, then, huh?"

That one earned him a mock-offended glance over one shoulder.

"Oho! So that's all I am to you? Your watchdog?"

"Psh, are you kidding? That's just a side benefit that came along with the whole bundle."

"…Bundle?"

"Yeah. I call it the 'Astrid Hofferson Haddock Marriage Bundle'."

An amused snort echoed to him. "Oh, really? And what's included in this 'Astrid Hofferson Haddock Marriage Bundle', if you don't mind my asking?"

"Not at all. It includes the strongest, most intelligent, intense and beautiful woman I've ever known with equal portions of loyalty, love and determination sprinkled with the cutest laugh and just a pinch of pure sweetness all rolled into a single…well, you."

There was a flicker in her eyes when next she looked back. "Oh, stop it, Haddock," she giggled, "you're making me blush."

"Just doing my job," he returned with a wink.

"So, out of curiosity, if you get the bundle, what do I get in return?"

At the foot of the narrow, spiraling steps leading to the world above and beyond to freedom, Hiccup grasped her arm, sweeping her gallantly into his embrace for a brief, still moment.

"You, M'lady…get all of this." Grinning, he gestured to himself, then struck a heroic pose.

"Great!" Astrid's face was alight with mischief. "Then that means I get to do this!"

"HOOMF!" Hiccup huffed and doubled over as she delivered a quick jab to his middle. "Whyyyy?!"

Laughing like a girl giddy over her first love's kiss, she bounced up the stairs, only pausing to flash him a sly smile. "Just doing my job."