The couple crept forward from the shadows to peer around the corner. The guards that had just strolled by were relaxed and in no hurry, indicating that Hiccup's and Astrid's exploits in the dungeons one level below were still unknown to the rest of the fortress…for now.
Both understood perfectly that it would become more difficult to remain hidden the closer they got to the main hall. It wouldn't be long before someone figured out what had happened and raised the alarm, so it was crucial to get across that expanse as quickly as possible.
But first things first, of course. Though their little detour to the armory would cost them precious minutes, they were more than likely to face another skirmish. That and Astrid refused to go any further without her trusted battleaxe. Hiccup wasn't about to complain, knowing that once she had it in her hands, their chances of survival almost doubled.
She arrived at the other side of the now empty corridor just before him, putting a finger to her lips as he joined her. The motion, he decided, was either automatic given the situation or for show since neither of them had any intention of opening their mouth for so much as a whisper while exposed like this.
The armory door swung open with barely any effort, prompting the couple to share a relieved glance. The majority of the men were undoubtedly outside hunting the dragons and it appeared the few remaining had grown a bit too complacent in their security. As far as they were concerned, the two prisoners were still locked up in the bowels of the fortress and going nowhere soon.
Husband and wife slipped inside the chamber, pausing a moment to listen before gently closing the door.
"Let's make this quick," Hiccup urged, then wondered why he'd even bothered when he turned to find Astrid already on the far side of the room.
"Stay there and keep a lookout," she whispered back, flinging open cabinet doors and peering into crates, boxes and barrels full of weapons in search of her most prized possession. At last, a large trunk in one corner of the room yielded the desired result. "Aha, come to mama." Grinning with a glint in her eye, she lifted the axe into the air and gave it a spin, then reached back in to pull out Hiccup's Gronckle iron shield. "Now we're in business. Here." She passed it to him, then grabbed a bow and a quiver of arrows for good measure, handing them over as well.
As a teen, he had designed the shield to contain a collapsible crossbow as well as a few other cleverly hidden features specifically for added safety. However, it never hurt to have a little something extra to work with in case things went downhill. Hiccup slung the shield over his back and took the rest without question.
"Great, let's get out of here."
"Hold on…" Astrid laid the axe against the wall and began digging through a smaller chest on a nearby shelf. "They took more than just my axe."
Hiccup was about to ask what exactly she meant when she turned, arms full of various sharp, metallic objects. There were knives and daggers of all sizes, throwing axes, even what looked like an assortment of spikes from Stormfly's tail. He didn't know why he was surprised, but he blinked anyway, mouth open partway as she dropped the load onto a tabletop and started sorting, tucking weapons under her armor, through her braid, into her armbands.
"Let me guess," Hiccup said, unable to hold back half a smile, "all of that came in here with you."
"Yup, and you'd better believe it's all leaving with me too. Well, except for this one."
Hiccup caught the sheathed knife she tossed to him, realizing that it was the one he usually kept in his left armguard.
"Thanks," he murmured, sliding it back into place. Then he couldn't help but ask. "Where…where do you keep it all?"
"Keep all of what?"
He indicated the shrinking weapon pile. "All of…that."
"Not important, at the moment," Astrid replied, selecting a nasty-looking knife and testing the serrated blade with a thumb. "Besides, if you knew, your safety as the Chief of Berk could be compromised."
Not too keen on starting a discussion about what information should and shouldn't be shared in a marriage regardless of status or political position, Hiccup decided not to pursue the matter further and nodded as the knife disappeared inside her boot.
"Okayyy, I think you've got enough. Let's get going."
"Wait, wait, just a few more. I might need them if—"
"Astrid…"
"Just a couple—"
"Astrid."
"Ugh, you're no fun," she huffed, stomping toward the door with her axe on a shoulder. "Fine, c'mon, then."
The corridor was still empty when they emerged, allowing them a safe and quick jog to the foot of another set of spiraling stairs. There they paused at the echo of rough voices from above. Fists clenched, Astrid muttered a curse. They had been hoping that the main hall would be nearly deserted while most of the place was distracted by the rampaging dragons outside. It was impossible to gauge how many guards they were about to face, but by the sound of it, there were more than a handful. If things weren't interesting enough, they were about to get worse.
Astrid started up the steps, motioning for him to follow and the two ascended together. When they approached the doorway to the hall, Hiccup's stomach sank lower with each guard he counted. There were big guards, bigger guards, guards sitting on benches, guards seated at tables, all of them drinking, all of them bristling with weapons and armor.
His wife, on the other hand, seemed relieved.
"Not as many as I thought," she breathed.
Almost involuntarily, Hiccup's arms sprang outward to indicate the mass. "What're you talking—there's like fifty guys out there!"
"Honestly, I was expecting more. Ok, there's nothing for it, we'll have to fight our way across."
"Huh, you don't say. Well, it was nice knowing you."
She shot him an irritated glance, then rolled her eyes. "Just stay close to me and you'll be fine, I promise."
"Right, sure. I'll save you a seat in Valhalla because I'm pretty confident I'll get there first."
Astrid was too busy prowling up behind one of the thick wooden pillars supporting the main hall's roof to listen anymore. Hiccup had no choice but to follow, but since there was only room for one, he ended up taking cover behind a second pillar about fifteen feet away from hers.
After a moment of intense observation, Astrid caught his gaze and commenced relaying her plan through silent gestures. It was a familiar strategy they had used before in similar situations with success, but the throng of large men occupying their pathway to home had rattled him a bit more than he cared to admit.
What? he mouthed back, shaking his head.
She huffed and started over again, pointing beyond him and at his bow, then at herself, running two fingers through the air in front of her like they were a pair of tiny, sprinting legs.
Was she serious…?
You…want me to chase you? Not that this adventure wasn't fun or anything, but now was hardly the time for…
She ground her knuckles into her forehead, then flashed him a look of pure annoyance.
Yeah, sorry… He shrugged.
This time around, her movements were broad and painfully obvious. Again, she pointed at him, then motioned to a place far beyond and pretended to fire an arrow from an invisible bow at a spot on the other side of the hall. After that, she jabbed a thumb at herself, making her running fingers skirt some unseen obstacle before mashing one fist into the palm of the other hand with a grimace.
Ohhh...I'm the diversion.
Of course he was. She was the better warrior and could do the most damage, but honestly…
Astrid nodded as he half-heartedly returned her querying thumbs-up, then flapped her hands at him as if shooing away a child.
On that cue, Hiccup pulled an arrow from the quiver, notching it on the string while creeping backwards, eyes glued to the rowdy mob in the hall until, almost thirty feet from where he started, he drew the string taut and sighted his target: a gnarled wooden dragon's head sconce exactly opposite his position. An arrow shattering through the lantern it held in its jaws ought to garner some attention and give Astrid time to move in behind.
It was all well and good in theory, but, as plans of any kind often are, this one was in for its fair share of snags and hitches. In this case, the first came as Hiccup's boot caught in a gap in the stone floor and sent him toppling.
"AAGH!" he yelped on the way down and the arrow slipped, snapping from the bow and whistling through the air to stick quivering in a rack of candles dangling from the ceiling by a frayed rope.
The hazy, rambunctious atmosphere plummeted into sickening silence. Drinks splattered, heads turned, eyes widened at the sight of the guilty young enemy sprawled flat on his back in the shadows, bow clattering across the ground.
"Eheheyyyyy, guys." Hiccup forced a casual wave from the floor. "I know this looks…sorry about the…yeah totally meant to do—HOLY—"
He'd never seen a mass of metal and muscle move so fast and he hoped he never would again. Lucky for him he was just a tad faster, scrambling sideways and throwing the shield in front of him as a hefty axe came wooshing down.