A/N: So, sadly, I've decided to no longer continue with Love and War, I apologize for the inconvenience, but in the end, I want to write what I feel like writing, and this what I want to write. For those of you have been following me for a while, you should all know by now that I'm an author who wants to spice things up, that includes pairing Hiccup up with other female characters, whether they're from Httyd, Dreamworks, or otherwise. I wanted to write a Hiccup x Rapunzel story because this pairing has essentially burrowed itself in my mind and is practically nonexistent, which is surprising, considering how similar these two characters are. Alright, so in this story, Hiccup is banished from Berk because he bonded with Toothless, and he's branded as an outlaw and can no longer live in Norway or Scandinavia because he could be killed without repercussions or even be taken into slavery. Leaving the lands he knows, he becomes a bounty hunter and a traveler and the story already starts with him in his twenties. Hiccup and Toothless are currently in Germany, where the Kingdom of Corona is located, but he hasn't met Rapunzel yet, this chapter starts with Hiccup and Toothless catching a bounty and then claiming the reward and then the story picks up from there. Anyway, enough talk, let's do this.
(Normal pov— Germany)
Men often choose different places or prefer doing different things to spend their time in, for leisure. Some perfect a skill they had been blessed with, some go out and craft and some choose to drink and revel with whores.
House of Roses was a brothel that many men, the wealthy, the mischievous, and the common alike would go to and spend their coins on, whether it was to dine on well-cooked meals, savor well-brewed ale and other alcoholic beverages, and of course, slake their carnal needs on choicest whores, they were given an alias to protect their identities from the obsessive and they were also given masquerade masks to further protect them as well as expose the customers in the establishment with a sense of mystery. Within this brothel, men's secrets were laid bare when they were worked well by the whores paid to hump them or vice versa, women who knew how to use their beauty and bodies to their advantage were often rewarded by the owner of the brothel or even other wealthy, powerful people. The men who came to spend their time and coin at the House of Roses were often too ignorant of the fact that there was a young, yet very dangerous man in kept to the shadows and was watching them, this young man had gained a rather bloody and very infamous reputation throughout the whole of Europe, along the Silk Road, and beyond due to offering his services to those who could pay a handsome price for his skills as a fighter and for possessing a creature as black as night.
One of the brothel's patrons, Aimar Gotthard, was seated at a table, counting bags full of gold, a ridiculous smile across his face and a mug of ale in his hand. This man had recently pulled off a job with his merry band of men and had made a big payout and he was contemplating what to do with the gold he had earned. A sudden feeling in Aimar's gut told him that he was being watched, momentarily tearing his eyes away from the coins he had earned, he looked towards a darkened corner of the brothel, his breath then hitched when he saw an armor-clad figure leaning against one of the walls, the lanterns and fireplaces illuminated their leather armor and obscured the figure's face, the eyes of this armored figure seemed to glow thanks to the fire, making this figure look more menacing. Releasing a fearful cry at the sight of the armored man reaching for something attached to his hip, Aimar wasted no time and ran for his life. The establishment's patrons all exclaimed in confusion at the sudden outcry and commotion but Aimar could care less, he only knew that if he didn't leave now, he would be in serious trouble.
The armored man ran after the now fleeing Aimar, he drew a throwing knife tucked in his left boot and hurled it at his stalker. However, Aimar and all the patrons in the brothel gasped in both shock and awe as the armored figure drew a retractable blade of fire and severed the throwing knife as if it were nothing. As the severed, smoking knife clattered on the floor, Aimar cursed out loud and pushed his way through the patrons standing between him and the brothel entrance as the armored figure drew closer.
Bursting out of the brothel, Aimar made a break through the dense forests, fleeing for his life. As he ventured deeper and deeper into the forest, he could feel his legs aching, begging for him to stop running and to stop for rest, but he ignored the pain in his legs and kept running. Suddenly, fierce and menacing roars from a distance told Aimar that he was now in the gravest danger, and he cried out in fear while running faster. Leaping over logs and pushing aside thick bushes out of his way, he could also hear the loud pumping of wings and a massive shadow overhead shadowing over him, like the Sword of Damocles promising impending disaster, this man knew that despite his best efforts, he was going to be captured. Crying out in horror, Aimar was then tackled to the ground, his back and head were pinned down by two large paws, claws tightening around his skull, threatening to crack it wide open. Desperately trying to free himself, Aimar felt like he was like trying to move an unmovable object, his efforts to free himself were stopped when he felt the creature that had him pinned to the ground growling menacingly at him, its hot breath caused the man to whimper to himself and screw his eyes shut, fearing the worst.
"Bra jobbet, kompis. Jeg tar det herfra."
The man reopened his eyes upon hearing a young man speaking Norwegian. Could it be...?
He had heard the rumors that a disgraced Viking heir from Norway was branded as an outlaw by his people for befriending a dragon. If this was indeed the Dragon Rider, then Aimar was in deeper trouble than he thought.
Hearing movement, the pinned-down man saw a pair of boots in front of his face. Suddenly, the creature's grip loosened, allowing Aimar to look up at his hunter clearly, he stood six feet tall, and his face was obscured by a mask; the top of the mask is black with three rows of small spines on the top. There is also a crest symbol on his chest that is on both sides. The bottom half is made out of brown leather that covers his mouth and chin. The lower half can be flipped up like a visor. The bottom half also has slits, enabling this man to breathe. Besides the intimidating mask, this stranger's outfit consists of a basic green tunic, tanned leather pants, and leather armor plating along his broad shoulders and upper chest, along with arm braces. He had a metallic shield strapped behind his back and his retractable blade of fire strapped to his hip, as well as small items strapped to the sides of his boots, they appeared to be metallic vials.
After a long, tense moment of silence, the masked man reached for a pouch behind the small of his back and pulled out a bounty poster. He then spoke in German. "Aimar Gotthard. You're wanted for leading your band of... "men," to disrupt the trade routes and take anything of value that the people of this kingdom need: furs, linen, livestock, and so on," he then pocketed the poster and continued. "You will be worth your weight in two thousand pieces of gold." Trying to flee, the creature pressed down harder on Aimar, causing him to cry out. "Toothless, easy, easy bud," The Night Fury gave his rider a huff but eased up. Crouching down to Aimar, the young man then spoke nonchalantly. "I wouldn't try moving if I were you, otherwise my faithful dragon will cripple you in less time than It takes for me to say that he'll do it."
"P-Please, let me go, I won't create trouble for Corona's trade routes anymore—"
"If you expect me to believe that, you're an even bigger fool than I would've imagined," the masked man sighed before standing straight. "Besides, we both know that you're not only a thief but a liar. Anything that comes out of your mouth cannot be trusted. You will be sentenced for your crimes and I'll receive the bounty on your head." Before Aimar could protest, the masked man delivered a ruthless curb stomp to his head, knocking the man out cold.
Crouching down to throw his bounty on top of Toothless, Hiccup patted his reptilian companion's neck softly. "After three months, we finally caught this sack of yak turd. Honestly, catching this low life has taken enough of our time," the young man then sighed heavily. "Let's head back to the Bondsman's Guild and collect our reward." Toothless let out a warble in agreement while also burrowing his head into Hiccup's armored chest, causing the young man to chuckle and return his dragon's affection with scratches. Eventually, Hiccup climbed on top of the Night Fury's back, placed his riding mask back on, and they took to the sky.
The flight to the Bondsman's Guild wouldn't take long, but it would allow Hiccup to dwell on why he was far from the lands he hailed from.
It began with shooting down Toothless and when he had been discovered by Astrid the day before he was to kill the Monstrous Nightmare, he was branded as a skogarmaor, a man of the forest, or outlaw because he had befriended Toothless rather than killing him.
The day he was branded as a skogarmaor was crystal clear as if it had happened yesterday.
(Isle of Berk, five years ago)
"Kill him!"
"Tear him to pieces!"
"Flay the flesh from his sickly bones!"
Hiccup was chained and being dragged to the center of the village by his father's bodyguards, and all of Berk had come to bear witness to the punishment of their pitiful excuse of an heir, now a traitor for bonding with a dragon, a Night Fury to be more specific. Berk's people spat, cursed, and hurled rotten fruits and vegetables at the boy that was being dragged before his fuming father, who was beside his inner circle and law keepers. Among the crowds of enraged Vikings was Astrid Hofferson, she told Stoick of his son's betrayal and had found him with a Night Fury in a cove within the forest. With this news, Stoick dispatched his best men to apprehend his disgrace of a son and the Night Fury, and although the dragon had injured many of the men that were dispatched to apprehend Berk's heir, Hiccup cared less about his safety and begged to his father's guards not to hurt his reptilian companion.
Now, laid bare before all of Berk, Hiccup was tossed at the feet of his father, lifting himself off the ground, the boy braced himself for what would come next. He had faced the ire of his father many times, but nothing like this, to Hiccup, Stoick's glare of rage felt as though he was being burned slowly but surely. If only that were the case, he would rather get this over with than drag this out.
"Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, you are accused of befriending the Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death Itself. Do you deny this?"
Looking up at the nearest law keeper, Hiccup spoke so that all could hear him. "If you're all expecting me to throw myself at your mercy, I won't give you that satisfaction. I don't deny that I bonded with Toothless, I revel in it—"
The crowds of Hairy Hooligans released an uproar of disgust, resentment, and rage toward the boy, but he paid them no mind. Once the law keepers demanded that the people be silent, another one looked down at the chained boy. "Why would you throw away your life for a dragon?" Hiccup was silent, he knew if he explained his reasons for bonding with Toothless, his words would fall on deaf ears, and it would be nothing but a waste of time. "You will answer, boy," the law keeper said firmly. "Why would you commit such a heinous crime?"
"My reasons are my own, telling you mindless brutes would be nothing but a waste of time," Hiccup looked at his father and glared at him. "If you're going to kill me, get it over with. After all, it's what you wanted, you never loved or cared about me, all you care about is this dung heap of an island and finding the dragon nest at Helheim's Gate. My mother's death made you cold and uncaring, so why not kill me and do what you've dreamt of doing?" For a moment, Hiccup swore he saw regret and shame flicker in his father's eyes, but it was only for a moment.
Tearing his eyes away from the boy before him, Stoick looked to his people. "This... traitor and the devil he had bonded with deserve to die, we all know that!" Berk's people clamored in agreement, demanding for the disgraced heir to be executed and the Night Fury to be skinned. However, when Stoick held a hand to silence the clamors of his people, he continued. "Although this boy deserves a painful, agonizing death, there is a fate far worse than death..." he then turned to one of his bodyguards who held a brand in hand and was heating the instrument in a nearby fire pit. "Instead of granting this boy the mercy of death, I will banish him for life, he will become an outlaw, a skogarmaor," the crowds murmured amongst themselves at the punishment their chieftain would inflict on his own flesh and blood, many thought it was Stoick being weak but others deemed the punishment fair and just.
"Stoick, he's your son!" Gobber stepped up and hissed in the chief's ear. "You know he won't survive out there, what would Valka say if she saw this—"
Turning to the blacksmith, Stoick glared at him. "Do not bring my wife into this, Gobber!" He then continued. "Valka thought peace with dragons was possible, and that foolish belief is what got her killed. And now, my son has bonded with the deadliest dragon in Midgard! If my son wishes to be a heinous traitor, he is to be branded as an outlaw, condemned to die in the forest. Perhaps when he is exposed to the harshness and cruelty of this world will he come to reflect on his choices, yet he will be unable to atone for them." Turning back to the people, Stoick raised his voice. "This is my decision, to brand this boy as a skogarmaor, does anybody have a problem with that?" When none voiced their displeasure or opinions, Stoick grunted. "Then it is decided," he then turned to his guard with the brand. "Do it."
As Hiccup was held down by the guards, one of them held out his right hand while the guard wielding the brand pressed the searing metal against the top of Hiccup's hand. The boy's screams of agony caused Toothless' pupils to turn into thin slits, and although the dragon tried to break the bonds keeping him in place, he could only watch with great sympathy that these people were hurting his rider and friend.
When the brand was seared into his flesh, Hiccup panted heavily, tears streamed down his cheeks, and he felt his blood burning. The guards holding his arms suddenly released him, leaving the boy on his knees, before his father. Looking up at his father's callous eyes, Hiccup braced himself for what would come next. "You are now exiled from Scandinavia, Hiccup, as a skogarmaor, you can be killed without consequence or repercussions. Your property will be confiscated, you are condemned to live outside of human society here in Scandinavia. Whether you live or die is known only by the gods, now, take your devil and leave these lands." Turning to the men who had Toothless muzzled and subdued, Stoick gave the command to release the Night Fury, much to the shock and disbelief of everyone present.
Once Toothless was freed, the Night Fury rushed to his rider and began to lick the brand on his hand, causing Hiccup to hiss in pain. Although the fresh brand brought pain, Hiccup knew that Toothless' saliva possessed incredible healing properties, and so he murmured words of thanks into his dragon's ear. After saddling on the back of his dragon, Hiccup laid eyes on Astrid, the girl he loved, now the girl who had spat on his affections and made him an outlaw in the eyes of the Viking people.
Without another word, Hiccup urged Toothless to fly as fast as he could. Releasing a thunderous roar, the Night Fury took to the sky while Hiccup held on tightly to his saddle handled and closed his eyes as strong gusts of wind whipped through his face. As they flew further and further away from Berk, Hiccup didn't look back, Berk was never his home, and he held no sentimental attachment to that heap of rock.
Though we had been branded as an outlaw, he was now free to make a new home and make a name for himself.
(Present day)
After being branded as an outlaw, Hiccup left the lands he had known and carved his own life, free from the future responsibility of being a future chieftain and free from the suffering he had received from his... "people." Being out in the world, free from the burden of one day ruling over Vikings gave Hiccup the freedom he had craved his whole life, it was both terrifying but exciting to venture out into unknown lands and discover what else the world had to offer. Though the pain of being banished from Berk still lingered, Hiccup had accepted that he wasn't meant to be a Viking, the gods had planned for him to shoot down and meet Toothless, to bond with the Night Fury and become a duo whose bond had truly become unbreakable over the last five years.
Over the last five years, Hiccup had offered his services to the highest bidder, those who required the skills of a capable fighter and one who rode a Night Fury. He had become the Dragon Rider, and his fame and reputation spread like wildfire as he fought for warlords, dictators, or anyone who could pay a handsome price for his services. However, despite the vast fortune and fearsome reputation he had secured over the years, there was a void in Hiccup's heart, something no amount of gold, bloodshed, and traveling could fill.
Companionship.
Yes, he had that with Toothless, but Hiccup desired a partner to share the world and his heart with. He had many sexual exploits over the years, but that was only to slake the desires of the flesh and erase the memory of Astrid Hofferson, the affection he had for her was that of a love-stricken boy, too blind to see that the girl he loved saw him as unworthy of being loved or being a future chieftain.
He was worthy of love, the gods had blessed him with much already, and surely they would not deny him the embrace of a woman to settle with and have children with. This delicate matter was in the hands of the gods, and all Hiccup could do was hope and pray that he would not be condemned to live a lonely life, absent a partner to fill his life with joy, thrill, and challenges.
"W-Where am I?"
Hiccup's train of thought was interrupted when his bound quarry suddenly screamed in horror because they were high in the air. Both rider and dragon winced in annoyance at Aimar's terrified screams, Hiccup looked over his shoulder and barked out. "Will you shut up? We're should be arriving at the Bondsman Guild any second now," looking down, Hiccup patted Toothless on the side of his neck. "Set us down, bud." Nodding, the Night Fury descended until touching down on solid ground.
"Get me off of this lizard— AH!"
Aimar was ripped off of Toothless' back by Hiccup, the rider proceeded to remove his quarry's bounded legs before getting him on his feet and forcing him to walk, Toothless was by his rider's side as they tread through the Germanic forests.
"L-Listen, if you let me go, I'll pay you—"
"Shut up," Hiccup hissed out, shoving Aimar. As the trio continued to tread through the forest, the banished Viking noted Aimar walking slowly, a vain effort to prolong his life. "If you don't walk, I'll have my dragon cripple you, and I'll have you dragged to the Guild unless you pick up the pace!" Landing a kick in his quarry's backside, Hiccup smirked in amusement as Aimar fell into a puddle of mud. Grabbing a handful of his hair, Hiccup hoisted him up.
"P-Please, have mercy—"
"Mercy? You pillaged supplies and resources people need to survive, your actions are cowardly and pathetic. You are unworthy of mercy. Now, if you value your tongue, shut your mouth, and walk." Giving up on trying to sway the young bounty hunter's mind, Aimar braces himself for his inevitable fate.
Upon reaching and entering Guild's base of operations, Hiccup found that many of the patrons and other bounty hunters seeking work turned their heads to eye him and Toothless. Many of these bounty hunters, mercenaries, and other degenerates eyed them like a piece of meat, but Hiccup knew that if anyone here was stupid enough to make an attempt on him and Toothless, it would be the last thing that they did. In the past, the former heir of Berk would feel uncomfortable in his skin, but he had long conquered fear, now he was a man who had forged himself into a strong, fearless combatant thanks to his years of training and making himself stronger.
"You spilled my drink..."
As Hiccup shoved Aimar on his knees, he approached the lounge where drinks were served, he eyed four bounty hunters who were glaring at him, they were, by the looks, harassing one of the patrons, and considering that none of the deviants glaring at him carried no drinks in their hands, Hiccup knew they were begging for trouble.
"Hey, Dragon Rider!"
Toothless growled at the hunter who was now approaching, but Hiccup held a hand out, silently telling the Night Fury to sit back. "Are you deaf? I said you spilled my drink," the hunter looming next to Hiccup turned to his companions, urging them to join him. "We've heard much about you, your reputation has spread throughout Europe, to the Silk Road, and even as far as China. They say that you're a great, fearless warrior." Scoffing, the leader of these deviants looked at Toothless who was glaring heatedly at him, he then looked back to the exiled Viking heir. "You may have a big bad dragon by your side, but what are you without it, I wonder? Would you even be famous without that lizard? No, you would be a nobody, a pathetic, useless, nobody." The other hunters chuckled, they even began to nudge and jab Hiccup's sides and his back.
Useless.
Hiccup recalled his cousin, Snotlout, and many of Berk's inhabitants call him that, even when he helped forge their precious armor, weapons, and war machines, they called him "Hiccup, the Useless," all because he wasn't physically imposing and because he was different from the rest of them.
The silence that followed was deafening, Hiccup knew that these hunters were new arrivals, otherwise, none would be so foolish as to put him to the test. A quick look over his shoulder allowed Hiccup to see these new arrivals had an archer near the entrance, while the remaining three were in his face.
If these fools wanted to see what he was made of, then he would show them, and all occupants and patrons in the establishment.
Snatching a mug of ale at his left, Hiccup smashed the mug against one of the deviant's heads before turning to and catching another deviant's arm and breaking it. Before they could scream, Hiccup drew a dagger sheathed in his left forearm gauntlet and then drove the blade into his throat before cutting it wide open, a geyser of blood-soaked his masked face and armor-clad body, but he cared less as the now dead hunter collapsed face first on the ground. Before the leader could draw his sword, Hiccup landed a series of ruthless punches across their face and then grabbed their head, and then drove his knee against their face, sending them back against the lounge. Pressing his attack, Hiccup relentlessly and repeatedly stabbed the deviant leader in the chest before cutting their chest open and ripping out their still-beating heart and then squeezing it, causing blood to pour through his fingers.
With his three opponents dead, the young outlaw discarded the heart in his hand and then turned to the door, Hiccup saw the archer nock an arrow, lift their bow, and then let the arrow fly. As Hiccup rushed the archer, he spun around on his left foot, evading the arrow that would've struck him in the throat with grace. Moving as fast as a serpent, Hiccup pulled out his shield which was strapped to his back, and activated a feature that transformed his shield into a crossbow, he then loaded a bolt and pulled the trigger. The dying gurgling of the archer filled the silent room, and as the hunter fell back, dead, Hiccup deactivated the crossbow feature his shield possessed before strapping it behind his back.
"WHO'S NEXT?" Hiccup bellowed out, Toothless crouched beside his rider, tail wrapped protectively around his feet, and his maw glowed violet, threatening to reduce any further attackers to dust. When none moved against the exiled Viking heir, Hiccup placed a hand on his dragon's head, calming the Night Fury. After the bloody display Hiccup had put on, many of the other hunters kept their distance as he approached the Guild's leader.
"Well well well, if it isn't the Dragon Rider! That was... quite the show you just put on," Linus Hackl, leader of the Bondsman's Guild exclaimed with outstretched arms. After shooing away the women by his side, he poured himself and Hiccup a cup of wine. "Haven't seen you or your dragon in three months. Your quarry didn't cause you too much trouble, did he?"
Snorting, Hiccup tossed his quarry to the ground. "He's a turd that'll soon be disposed of for his crimes, along with his men who I already delivered to you days ago," he watched as Linus' men took him away, a chuckle of amusement bubbling from the Guild's leaders throat when he saw Aimar struggling to get free. Once his quarry was out of sight, Hiccup then turned back to his benefactor. "Now, enough small talk, Linus. I want my payment." With a sigh, the Guild's leader pulled out a purse of coins and handed it to Hiccup. Taking his payment, the exiled Viking heir weighed the purse in his hand and looked back to his benefactor. "The bounty for capturing those fools was two thousand pieces of gold. This is less than twenty pieces."
"They still spend," Linus shrugged. "Besides, that's all I've got at the moment." Scoffing in disbelief, Hiccup dropped the purse at Linus' feet and then grabbed him by the back of his head while grabbing Inferno and pressing it against his throat. Every bounty hunter and man loyal to the Guild's leader sprang into action, but Toothless stood on his legs and spread his wings, bearing his teeth, and growling menacingly. "Save the theatrics, Dragon Rider. Fine, I'll... I can pay you through rubies." He pulled out another purse that was full of precious stones the size of walnuts.
Snatching the purse out of his hand, Hiccup leaned in and hissed. "Attempt to deprive me of my payment again and I'll gut you like a fish, understand?" Linus nodded furiously and then took a breath of relief when Hiccup removed Inferno from his throat. Placing his payment in a pouch strapped to his left thigh, Hiccup turned to Toothless and gave a nod, the Night Fury eased his aggression, but not before huffing in warning to those who would've attempted to kill his rider.
"Now that you've been paid, what will you do now?"
Looking into his benefactor's eyes, Hiccup spoke nonchalantly. "Move on to my next job," he then inquired lowly. "What do you have?"
"Not so fast, there are other members of the Guild that need work, and you've been taking all of the bounties I have to offer."
Confused, Hiccup then raised an eyebrow. "Why so slow?"
"Not slow at all. On the contrary, business is very good," Linus shrugged. "The current jobs I have, however, are beneath a bounty hunter of your caliber."
Sighing in annoyance, Hiccup contemplated whether or not he should take a break, after all, he had amassed a fortune for himself thanks to his and Toothless' efforts over the years, and he has been working for a long time. At the same time though, Hiccup was curious whether or not Linus held a bounty worthy of his time and efforts. "What's your highest bounty?"
"One of your competitors has already claimed my highest bounty," Linus then reassured the agitated young man. "There is one job, one many in the Guild have taken, but none have ever succeeded." Many mercenaries and bounty hunters nearby turned their heads, murmuring amongst themselves while secretly wagering whether or not the Dragon Rider would take this job.
"Give me the poster on my quarry."
"No poster," Linus said. "Face to face. Direct commission. The reward for completing this bounty would be enough to set you for life."
With his curiosity piqued, Hiccup stepped closer and murmured. "Royalty?"
"The rulers of Corona, Frederic and Arianna witnessed their only daughter, Rapunzel, being kidnapped by a hooded figure when the princess was still a child. Despite their responsibilities to their kingdom and people, Corona's rulers never stopped looking for their daughter, even though they never found her," Linus shrugged. "You've completed many bounties that involved tracking down individuals that had been taken or otherwise, if you bring back Corona's lost princess, then you'll never have to work again." He then raised an eyebrow. "You do know where Corona is, yes?" When Hiccup nodded in confirmation, Linus continued. "Upon arrival, make contact with King Frederic and Queen Arianna, they will give you what you need to track the lost princess." The Guild's leader then smiled. "Happy hunting, Dragon Rider." The former Viking heir merely grunted before taking his leave, the Night Fury by his side.
Once outside the establishment, Hiccup climbed on top of his reptilian companion and urged the dragon to take to the sky and head for Corona.
Unknown to Hiccup, this job he was about to take would change his life in the best way possible.
A/N: So, in this story, Hiccup is pretty detached from human beings because of his abuse and treatment of Berk, not only that, but as a bounty hunter, he prefers to be on task and not be distracted from forming attachments from those who don't understand him. Of course, that'll change when Hiccup meets Rapunzel, but until then, let me know what guys think so far, and I'll see you in the next update!