"Ugh." Hiccup tried to sit up, but groaned at the pain in his abdomen.

"Woah, woah. Easy, Hiccup." Astrid gave him a weak smile. His head was rested in her lap.

"Wha- what happened?" Astrid's smile dissipated as she shifted her attention to their cell room.

"We got captured by Viggo. After you showed them a thing or two." Hiccup smirked as Astrid kissed his forehead gently.

"I- I should've warned you sooner. I sensed a trap, I could've saved you…." Hiccup clumsily pieced together his thoughts.

"You did save me! I was too quick to act. When I saw that hunter kick a helpless Nadder…." Astrid clenched her fists. "But then he stabbed you with a sword coated with some sort of poison." Astrid eyes softened shamefully. "It... it was my fault..."

Hiccup sat up, wincing at the pain in his stomach. He squeezed her hand.

"Astrid, it's not your fault. Viggo's set-up was too convincing. They would have had anyone fooled."

"We shouldn't have been so predictable, I should have known..." Her voice was barely audible, her thoughts drifting. A few moments passed before Hiccup broke the silence.

"They're going to try to find out where the Dragon Eye is." Hiccup's voice was grave and serious. "I remember where I hid it but...do you?" His voice was almost imperceptible to her.

"Hiccup-" Astrid began slowly. She did know where it was, but she also knew where he was going with this.

"Please tell me you don't know." Hiccup's eyes were pleading with her. "If you don't know, they won't have any reason to hurt you. But if you do..." Hiccup was beginning to look unwell again.

Astrid wanted to disappear. She couldn't bear to tell him to truth. Hiccup had been very secretive about the location of the Dragon Eye. He believed it to be vitally important that only he know, to avoid the capability of hunters to torture the information out of the rest of the gang. But he had slipped up once on one of their dates. He had quickly asked if she heard what he said and she had denied hearing. But the thing was, she had heard him perfectly. She couldn't tell him the truth; she didn't want him to worry. They had enough to worry about as is.

"No, I don't know where it is." Astrid hated to lie. "But if you know, will it not matter?" Hiccup was about to respond, when a figure appeared at their cell.

"Sleep well?" Ryker appeared at the cell door. Astrid glared at him.

Hiccup gathered the strength to ask, "So what do you want, Ryker? I know you didn't come to give your condolences."

"Let's just say that Viggo has an….interrogation prepared. And he intends to get the information he wants." Ryker smirked.

"We aren't talking." Astrid scowled.

Ryker laughed. "Oh, yeah. We'll see about that."

000

"Again!"

Viggo smiled deviously. The girl couldn't hold the truth much longer. Soon enough, he would learn where his beloved Dragon Eye was.

Hiccup had claimed so confidently that the girl knew nothing of the Dragon Eye's location. Had Viggo only been speaking to Hiccup, he would have been fooled. But Viggo knew better. The girl's eyes screamed of insecurity; she had been lying. The choice of who to beat the truth out of had been easy enough.

Ryker delivered another kick to Hiccup's stomach, right where his injury was. Hiccup groaned and writhed in pain as Astrid protested and struggled against her chains.

When the "interrogation" had begun, Astrid had felt only rage. She had been furious with herself for not telling Hiccup the truth. Viggo seemed to have seen right through Hiccup's unintended lie. Even worse, he seemed to know that he had a fail safe in case Hiccup refused to speak. Astrid. She had kicked violently, trying to wriggle herself free of the chains.

But her anger had quickly dissipated into despair. She was holding in the truth at the cost of Hiccup's life.

Another kick. Hiccup cried out again, but refused to speak.

"Stop it!" Astrid helplessly cried out. How long had it been? Surely she's held out for a respectable amount of time, right?

"Please, it's only been 5 minutes." Viggo said, as if reading her mind. "But, the girl is right, Ryker. Let's stop with the kicking." Viggo grinned and pulled out a whip.

Ryker eagerly took the whip and proceeded to lash Hiccup's back. Hiccup gasped and whispered a helpless "No….please…."

Astrid couldn't take it much longer. She was already on her knees because of the chains but she didn't want to look any more pathetic. "Stop, please! This isn't fair! Please!" She futilely fought and struggled against the chains again as she felt the first tears come to her eyes.

Viggo smiled. "Do it again. Let us motivate her to talk a little more." Ryker kicked Hiccup onto his back and whipped his chest, ripping apart the fabric and leaving a deep, red gash. Hiccup's eyes began to water as he glanced over at Astrid, who was beginning to sob. He let out a soft whimper. He only hoped it didn't sound as pathetic as he probably looked.

"What do you mean, Viggo? She doesn't even know. Only I know..." Hiccup rasped.

Viggo smiled. "Ah, Hiccup. So gullible."

A confused expression passed over Hiccup's face. "Wha-"

Ryker lashed out again, Hiccup openly wailing at the wound.

Astrid had given up trying to choke back her sobs. Tears were freely falling down her face. She knew they had lost.

"Okay! I'll talk! Please, just stop hurting him."

Viggo smiled. "I'm delighted you've finally come to your senses, Astrid."

"No, Ast. Viggo, don't you dare touch her-" Hiccup gritted his teeth and tried to sit up, but was promptly knocked out by a kick to the face by Ryker. Astrid yelled out in anger.

"Now, brother. Let us not be any more cruel to Hiccup than Astrid's prolonged silence has forced." Viggo smiled cruelly. "I'm sure she has been through enough. Now, dear Astrid. Where?"

Astrid disclosed the location through gritted teeth. Viggo seemed to buy it, and nodded to Ryker. Ryker walked over and wrapped a hand around her throat, lifting her into the air, gasping.

"Now ya listen hear. My brother's got a good feeling about what you just said but I just want to make sure." Astrid gasped for air, nodding best she could. Her lungs seemed to burn. She tried to appear as convincing as possible.

"Yes..." She managed. Ryker looked back at Viggo, who shrugged apathetically, almost feigning distrust in Astrid's word. Ryker grinned and turned his head back, slamming Astrid to the ground, directly onto her right arm. She cried out in pain, grimacing and glancing at her arm before almost throwing up. It was not supposed to bend like that.

"You still sure?" Ryker grinned menacingly, kicking Astrid onto her back. Astrid gritted her teeth and choked back a sob as she managed a timid nod. Viggo put a hand on his brother's shoulder, motioning that the interrogation had come to a close. Ryker frowned, almost as though he hadn't had enough fun.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Astrid. It really has meant a lot and saved my brother and I a lot of grief. I do wish I could say the same for you and Hiccup."

Astrid scowled at the man through her tears. She hated herself for giving in and showing weakness, and yet she hated herself for not giving in sooner to protect Hiccup. It was a lose-lose situation and only Viggo could win.