Carried Off, a DreamWorks' How to Train Your Dragon fanfic by Raberba girl

Eret subplot, part 4 (rough draft)

It was a long time before the ex-trapper felt comfortable getting near Drago's fleet, but he was very helpful in giving Hiccup inside information and offering feedback on Hiccup's plans. At first, Eret simply discussed things with Hiccup beforehand, and helped if necessary when Hiccup returned.

About a year after Eret's rescue, however, he had become an equal ally in battle. Hiccup had half-expected him to leave the Sanctuary whenever he felt ready to join humankind again, perhaps working to curb Drago's expansion as Hiccup continued his fight on the front lines.

Yet Eret had never left. He treated the dragon king with as much loyal respect and filial affection as Hiccup did; he provided Hiccup with some much-welcomed human company and conversation; he and Skullcrusher were inseparable by now, partners and friends by both human and dragon standards; the former trapper could speak passable Dragonese and was an immense help to Hiccup during raids.

"You take the east side, I'll go west," Hiccup said. No further instructions were needed, because they'd already fine-tuned the plan back at the Sanctuary. Eret saluted and took off; Hiccup commenced his own task with complete trust in his human partner's dependability.

Twenty minutes later, after three captive dragons had been freed and one had been killed and Hiccup had been chased across half the ship, he found himself in the worst predicament he'd ever been in since he'd entered the war with Drago. Toothless lay raging and helpless on the deck, bound beneath a weighted chain net. Hiccup was on his knees, arms gripped by two of Drago's thugs, as Eret, son of Eret smirked down at him with a knife in his hand. Skullcrusher was nowhere in sight. "You're a slippery little eel, aren't you, but your time finally ran out."

Hiccup was too furious to speak.

"Lock him up," Eret ordered, "and keep him away from his dragon. I'll take care of the beast."

Hiccup screamed abuse at him as he was dragged away, but Eret didn't bat an eye. As soon as he was out of sight, the searing betrayal shifted to anxiety as Hiccup thought of Drago's approach, of Toothless's spirit being crushed, of red-hot brands and darkness and slavery and death...

Hiccup was thrown into a dragon cage and chained for good measure. As soon as the men left, he examined every inch of his prison, then paced as best he could, thinking wildly, coming up with plan after impossible plan. Part of him wanted him to curl up and cry at the pain of Eret's betrayal; another part of him was threatening to go insane with worry about his beloved Toothless. A much bigger part of him was wanting to tear at the iron cage with his bare hands and scream defiance of his fate to the skies.

He had no idea how long he'd been locked up when he was shocked to see his best friend slithering through the shadows. "Toothless?!"

"Chained my precious thing," Toothless hissed angrily, and shot a couple of bolts at the cage.

"Hurry, Skullcrusher," said a human voice.

Hiccup whirled. "You!" he snarled.

"No time now," Eret said impatiently. "They got suspicious. They might show up any minute."

"What?!"

As they spoke, Skullcrusher, whose leg was bleeding, grunted and rammed the cage in the same place Toothless had shot it. Between them, they managed to make a hole big enough for Hiccup to crawl through, after a well-aimed bolt from Toothless had severed the chain binding Hiccup to the bars.

Eret reached down a hand to help Hiccup to his feet, but instead of taking it, the smaller man lunged upward and wrapped his hands around Eret's throat. "No time for this!" Eret choked out, grappling with him.

"You two-faced, son of a-!"

It was a short fight. Hiccup cursed his own body for the millionth time when he found himself in a restraining hold. He couldn't kick effectively; he tried a sharp backward jerk of his head, but Eret successfully dodged. As much as Hiccup excelled in other areas, physical combat against opponents who were always, always, always bigger and stronger than him had never been his forte.

"Would you listen to me?" Eret snapped, ignoring Toothless's growls. "I saved us back there by pretending to betray you. Unless you want to hang around and get captured again, we have to go now, and you have to stop trying to kill me."

Hiccup seethed, but recognized that this was not the time to demand explanations. He managed to choke out an enraged assent, and didn't resist when Eret released him and hastily tucked up the dangling chains. "We'll have to get these off at home. I'm gonna send off you and Toothless as soon as we get out in the open. Skullcrusher," he said, and pointed to Hiccup and Toothless, "You, with them, go!"

"Stay with you my friend," Skullcrusher stated, as if anything else was not to be considered.

"You, hurt! You go with them; I flee with Cloudjumper, not you. We together at nest."

Skullcrusher growled his displeasure, but Toothless shoved and bit him until he finally agreed.

In the air, Hiccup was too angry to do much more than cling to Toothless and trust the Night Fury to dodge the missiles that were shot after them. His mind was looping continuously through what had happened, going from betrayal to rage to hurt to confusion to rage again...

Skullcrusher was having a hard time keeping up, and roared in relief when Cloudjumper dropped down to join them a few minutes later, Eret on his back. Hiccup started shouting at him to explain, Eret shouted back that he refused to argue while flying, Skullcrusher whined that he wanted his friend/partner with him, Eret crooned back that they could be together later, Cloudjumper admonished the Rumblehorn for not heeding his limits, and Toothless growled at everyone to shut up.

Back at the Sanctuary, Hiccup slipped off Toothless's back, marched straight over to Eret, and tried to punch him. Eret blocked it. "I hate you!"

"Calm down and let me explain."

"I hate you!"

"Or maybe we can get those chains off and then I'll explain."

Hiccup whipped his arm around, trying to lash at Eret. Eret managed to catch the chain before it struck him. Hiccup immediately whipped the other chain around. Eret caught that one, too, then lifted the fistful of chains as high as he could and arched his eyebrow at Hiccup. Hiccup, though weaker, was taller than the other man, and his half-dangling arms made him look like he was awkwardly praying. He glared at Eret.

"They caught me," Eret said. "Skull was injured. What was I supposed to do, announce that I'm a dragon rider when I had no hope of winning? I still dress like them; I still know their lingo; they have no idea how to speak Dragonese. I pretended I was one of them, told Skull to cower, pretended I was the one who'd injured him. I let them separate us for five minutes and made sure I had a key to his cage. I set free Toothless, set free Skull, looked for you, set free a couple more dragons while I was at it, looked for you some more, chatted up some soldiers who were on their way to torture you, pulled the wool over their eyes, managed to get the dragons in alone, then got all of us out. And I blew my cover. Now Drago will know that Eret, son of Eret is still alive, and a dragon rider. I can't ever pull that same trick again."

Hiccup wordlessly wrenched his arms free and marched away to his makeshift forge. He worked in furious silence until the time came when he needed another pair of human hands. Eret, who had treated Skullcrusher's wound and was now waiting in the shadows of the forge, approached and reached in without being asked. The chains finally clanked to the floor and Hiccup leaned back with a sigh, rubbing at his wrists. At long last, he met Eret's eyes. "...Don't ever do that to me again."

"...You were right when you said I'm still a coward," Eret said in a low voice.

Despite himself, Hiccup felt a sudden urge to comfort him, and angrily fought it back. "I still hate you."

"You won't in the morning," Eret said, more hopefully than confidently. "When you've had time to cool down."

"Shut up."

That night, there was no after-supper conversation or storytelling or music. They ate separately, and retreated into their respective caves for the night without a word to each other.

In the morning, as Eret was scaling some fish for his breakfast while Skullcrusher enjoyed his share raw, there was the sound of approaching footsteps. The Scuttleclaw twins came rolling past, in the midst of a scuffle. Hiccup sat down beside Eret; Toothless stretched out behind them, resting his head comfortably on Hiccup's leg. "Morning, jerk," Hiccup said in a friendly tone.

Eret smiled in relief. "Good morning."

"I have magnanimously decided to forgive you for yesterday," Hiccup said, laying his own fish over the fire.

"Good. I believe my heroic rescue deserves a thank you as well."

Valka came tromping up, thrusting her face into Eret's neck. "Morning, Val," he greeted, patting her.

"Eret," she squawked happily.

"Thank you," Hiccup murmured.

"Just so you know, I'd rather die than betray you. ...Not just you; I mean, any of them. Any of us." He laid a hand on Skullcrusher's neck and said softly, "This is my home now, and these are my people."

"Beats living and dying for Drago Bludvist, hm?"

"Definitely."

To be continued...