Here we go, chapter 24. Wow, we're so close to the end now!
Guest: Thank you! Although I don't think the story will last much longer
Hiccupisnotuseless: Thank you! And you're right, they kinda are opposites, but there is definitely a reason for Bryn's anger. And yeah, they weren't, were they? Though I'm not sure Anita is either. Is it?
Guest: Indeed, 'twas a tragedy to be sure!
"Give it to me!" Kat's body slammed against the bars of her prison door, her arm stretching all the way through, jagged fingernails clawing the air in search of her weapon. The sun through her single window glimmered down her back and along her pale-skinned arm. Her sharp eyes were wide with need.
"I need to ask you a few questions, Kat. Sit down, please." Hiccup clutched her prized possession to his chest. Begrudgingly, she slid back through the bars, slippery as an eel, sitting down in front of him, hungry eyes never leaving her sword. "Right, okay, so... Who's Brynhild?"
"Never you mind." She replied stubbornly, folding her arms.
"Come on, Kat, please? We want to help you. If they're controlling you in any way then..."
"My father gave that sword to me when I was six. Check the hilt; there, you'll find your answers." She rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the floor, lying down and staring at the rocky ceiling. Hiccup slid the sword out of it's plain casings, looking the intricate engravings over. He looked through all the twisting knots and dragon's bodies, the battle-scarred Vikings and eagles' wings.
"The hilt, stupid, are you deaf?" When he looked down, Kat hadn't even looked up. It was like she juts knew. Frowning, he moved his gaze to the soft leather. His eyes turned wide, like saucers. There, branded into the dark leather, lay a single word.
"Brynhild..." He whispered. "It's your real name..."
"Don't get too exited. A name is just a name."
"Fishlegs was right, and Ruffnut, too!" Hiccup slid the sword back into its casing.
"That girl is much more intelligent than you give her credit for. A better fighter, too." Kat sat up unexpectedly, looming up from the darkness like a she-demon, eyes wide and dangerous. "Can I have my sword back now?"
"I have to put it back in the armoury. You're not allowed it. Don't worry, though, I'll take good care of it for you." Hiccup tried to give her a reassuring smile as her face fell and turned dark.
"You'd better, that's my best friend now." She snarled, then retreated back into the dark safety of her cell.
Later, Hiccup was on watch once again. Brynhild was fuming once again from another fray with Snotlout, curled up like a cat on her bed. He could hear her whispering cruel threats and pushing pieces of mortar around her floor with her fingers, but it was so quiet, he didn't notice when it stopped. All of a sudden, he saw a face behind him and recoiled in shock.
He became indignant over her gloating look, brushing himself down, but soon, her face fell once again. She slid to the floor, her arms threaded through the bars so that she might stare out longingly. The chief's son watched her curiously.
"You okay there, Ka- I mean, Brynhild?"
"D'you know what? I actually don't feel that well. Being cooped up on a diet of bread and water is not good for one's system, I think."
"Really? Vikings don't really eat much fruit. Sure, we eat apples, but not that much, maybe once a day if we're lucky. Other than that, we don't really eat that much.
"Alright for you, Vikings are used to it! We're not. We get something we call 'Scurvy', where our skin goes all yellow, like this." To demonstrate, Brynhild held out one of her lean arms. Her skin was indeed slightly yellow in colour, where before it had been pale white. Hiccup frowned, concerned.
"You're right, you don't look well. I don't think I'll be able to get you anything, though. Prisoners have to live on what they're given; it's the way we do things."
"I don't expect you to stick your neck out for me, after everything I've done for you." When he looked across, he found her eyes shining into the murky black of the prison.
"You okay there?" He breathed. Brynhild shook her head slowly.
"Never in my life have I come across a boy more willing to help each and every living creature. I've never been exposed to such kindness, such loyalty or such fierce bravery. I only wish my tribe could have learnt from yours, and that I hadn't done what I did. I've killed your beautiful people, burned their homes, injured their families, all in a vain search for inner peace. For revenge. It's disgusting," She spat.
"They killed your family." Hiccup offered calmly.
"Yes, but you didn't. No wonder everyone hates me. I'm a horrible person." Her head fell to her knees. "I could say sorry a hundred times but it wouldn't make any difference. Perhaps getting scurvy is good. Perhaps I'm better off dead, with my parents."
"At least you've admitted it." Hiccup whirled around to find the broad, muscular form of Snotlout standing in the shadows. He took a few paces forward, his face devoid of emotion. Brynhild simply hid her face deeper into her knees, without the energy for a confrontation.
"I'm sorry I killed and hurt your friends, Snotlout. I know it doesn't make a difference, but I see now that I was wrong."
Snotlout stood and surveyed her for a long time. Finally, when he spoke, his voice sounded hollow and weak. "I can't forgive you, Kat. On the other hand, you can't forgive me, either. I'm sorry I killed your dragon. I don't know what came over me. I was so angry, I wasn't thinking straight."
"I don't blame you." Brynhild cut in, lifting her head, looking him in the eye. "I picked on you more than all the others. I'm sorry for that too."
Hiccup sat, watching the exchange in a sort of bemusement. The two people he had least expected to even speak kindly to one another, and here they were apologising for what they had done. He smiled to himself.
"Why don't you two try to start over?" He suggested, drawing confused looks from both of them.
"Actually, I like that idea, if you would be so kind as to humour me." Brynhild smiled kindly. "And, in this case, you must call me Bryn."
Snotlout nodded carefully. "Alright... alright, that sounds good."
"Great! You two are sounding better already. I think really you were both just tired of it, weren't you?" The nods he received confirmed it. "Maybe you two can stop getting on to each other now, eh?"
Both teens nodded with a quiet laugh. Suddenly, Bryn's face fell and she frowned. The others stopped to look at her questioningly as she stood up and paced a circuit around her cell, thinking to herself.
"If you guys aren't the ones who killed my tribe then who could they be?" She stopped before the door once again. "I can't just sit by while these monsters continue to live. I have to get out there and find them. You guys have taught me a lot. I'm not going to attack mindlessly again like I did before, but I do need to find out who did it. I need to know, for my own sanity."
"Well, you can't go anywhere unless chief Stoick says you can." Snotlout sighed, raising an eyebrow. "You're a prisoner. Unless you've properly changed, he won't let you out. In fact, it's unlikely he'll let you out at all."
The prisoner groaned, rubbing her forehead and eyes and slumping down onto her bed. "You're right..." she moaned, suddenly looking very tired. "I guess I will have to just stay here until my fate is decided."
Well, that was an interesting chapter. Anyone still hate Bryn for what she did or don't think she's changed? I appreciate all reviews. Thank you all!