A/N: I know, I know, updates for this story seem to be getting slower and slower, but that's not the case, trust me. But I think you've all waited long enough. Onwards!
(Normal pov— Viking war camp)
Hiccup always had this feeling in his gut that he would need to face his past once again, no matter how hard he tried to move on, he always knew that those who were supposed to love and be there for him would catch up to him.
As promised, he was meeting with his father at Queen Una's war camp. The scouts beyond the camp allowed him to pass without trouble, and now, as he was entering the Viking war camp, Hiccup dared not believe what he was seeing. He had heard reports from Corona's scouts that the Vikings were riding dragons, and Hiccup thought that they were mistaken, he prayed that they were mistaken, but unfortunately, the scout's reports were correct.
"How dare they," Hiccup murmured to himself, "I get branded for bonding with a dragon and now they have their dragons?! Hypocrites. All of them!"
Toothless growled as many Vikings and their dragons looked in their direction, Hiccup, however, placed a reassuring hand on his dragon's neck, cooing in his ear. More and more heads were turning at the sight of Hiccup on the back of his Night Fury, some even drawing closer to get a better look at "Hiccup the Useless," now the most famous Viking in their world. Many of these tribes were familiar to Hiccup, he could see the banners of the Meatheads, Bog Burglars, Outcasts, Berserkers, and even the Hairy Hooligans. Of course, he already knew they were here, but part of Hiccup wished they weren't, there was nothing for them here.
"It's Stoick's boy and his Night Fury,"
"Odin's beard! That is the former heir of Berk!? He is a sight to behold,"
"Eh, why bother summoning him? He is a fugitive, after all,"
Hiccup could hear that the Vikings had mixed feelings about him being here, not that he cared, he didn't want to be here at all, yet here he was. It made Hiccup scoff to himself, he used to want these people's acceptance and love more than anything, but now he eclipsed them all and the previous Viking heroes of the past. Who needs the acceptance of hypocritical barbarians when he was now a legend whose name will be remembered long after he's dust and bone?
"Hiccup Haddock! Is that you!?"
Groaning in annoyance, he turned to see one of his many oppressors during his childhood— Dagur the Deranged. The man had changed the last time Hiccup saw him. His previously, long hair was now short he sported a shaggy beard, and he was far more bulky. And because he was the chieftain of the Berserker Tribe, he wears a brown leather and metal tunic with a Skrill chest plate and new knee pads. He has two arm pads as well as similar ones on his boots, and he has a thick bear fur cloak draped around his broad shoulders.
"Last I checked, Dagur, I'm still me," Hiccup replied sarcastically.
Eyeing the former heir of Berk, Dagur sneered at him before barking out in laughter. "Hiccup Haddock! HA! Who would've thought you'd finally get some meat on this scrawny arms of yours," the Berserker chieftain exclaimed while drawing a sword strapped to his side. Snarling at the Berserker leader's actions, Toothless was ready to attack if Dagur acted in aggression. "Oh, your Night Fury is truly a sight to behold, brother. But I wonder... how well do you fare in battle without it helping you?"
"You want a demonstration, do you?" Beaming at Hiccup's words, Dagur nodded. "Fine. Your funeral." Sliding off of Toothless, Hiccup could see many Vikings gathering to witness the fight that was about to take place. "You may be an accomplished warrior, Dagur, but I've fought in foreign wars and faced warriors that make Vikings look like drunken fools. If you value your life, you'll walk away now."
Shrugging off his fur cloak, Dagur also reached for his battle axe which was strapped on the small of his back. Whirling both weapons in hand, the Berserker's grin was like a bloodthirsty shark as he prepared to lash out. "Hoho! That's big talk, brother," his grin vanished and was replaced with a sinister glare. "Let's see if you can back up that talk with action!"
"You were warned, Dagur,"
Drawing Inferno, the Vikings gathered gasped in shock as Hiccup took a battle stance and waited for Dagur's move. Having trained with some of the greatest warriors in Midgard for a full year, Hiccup was confident in his prowess as a warrior and he knew that this fight was over before it even began.
Before Dagur could attack, however, he was stopped by Queen Una. "Dagur, enough!" The leader of this Viking raid drew her sword, pressing the tip of her blade against the Berserker chieftain's throat, causing him to inhale sharply. "Hiccup Haddock is here under my protection. If you violate that protection, you and your warriors will be executed here and now." The warriors loyal to her surrounded Dagur's Berserkers, swords at their throats, ready to kill them should their queen command it.
Laughing maniacally, Dagur sheathed his sword and strapped his axe behind his back, holding up his now empty hands to his patron. "There will be no violation of your peace, Queen Una, I swear," he then looked in Hiccup's direction with a smile. "I was just... having a moment with my brother."
"I'm not your brother, and we were not having a moment," Hiccup remarked with a sneer.
"Oh, well, I was," Dagur murmured before looking back at Queen Una. "Forgive me, Your Highness."
Removing her blade from the Berserker chieftain's throat, Una sheathed her blade and glared at the young leader, silently telling him if he did that again, the punishment would be fatal. Turning her attention back to Hiccup, the leader of the Viking raid bowed her head in greetings. "Welcome, Hiccup Haddock. I'm honored that you've chosen to meet with us," she gestured to the main tent. "Come. Your father and the other chieftains await." Hiccup made his way to the tent, noticing Astrid and the others who were still shocked that he wielded a sword of flame. It made Hiccup smirk on the inside, knowing that his inventive genius left these people awestruck.
Once inside the tent, Hiccup was greeted by his father first. For a moment, no words were exchanged, the two men looked each other in the eyes until finally, after a long, tense minute, Stoick closed the gap and enveloped his son in his arms. Hiccup, who was reluctant to return his father's "affection," merely patted his huge shoulders until Stoick broke the embrace. Taking in his son's features, Stoick couldn't help but feel immense pride swelling within him.
"You've grown into a man,"
"It's not like I had a choice when you branded me and cast me out," Hiccup crossed his arms, scowling at the man he resented for five long years.
"Hiccup—"
"Save it. I'm not here to hear whatever feeble apology you've concocted in your head, I'm not here to join you as you were hoping, and I'm not here to be your son, that ship has sailed the moment you branded me like an animal," laughing in disbelief, Hiccup gestured outside the tent. "Why brand me for bonding with Toothless when you and the others here were going to bond with dragons in the first place? Huh?"
"Son—"
"Don't answer that. I know why, you trained dragons because you not only coveted my fame and reputation, but you also believed that things would be right between us if I saw you all here on the backs of dragons. Well, guess what? You thought wrong,"
Scoffing, Alvin the Treacherous shook his head. "Bah! You're wasting your time, Stoick, the runt won't even listen to us—"
"Why would I listen to what you have to say? Better yet, why should I betray my in-laws, my people, and my wife by siding with you?" Hiccup challenged. "There's nothing you can say to me that will ever make me side with you."
Laughing, Megaton, chieftain of the Meatheads grinned at Hiccup. "Oh-ho! You've grown into a bold, determined man, Hiccup!" Turning to the Meathead leader, the former heir of Berk merely smirked in response.
"Perhaps seeing some familiar faces will put you at ease, boy," Big Boobied Bertha approached Hiccup and led him outside where Toothless waited. The hulking, busty woman then gestured to both Thuggory and Camicazi who were already approaching. "I trust you remember my daughter, Camicazi. And Mogadon's son, Thuggory?"
"Of course, he remembers us, Mother," Camicazi snorted before beaming at her old friend. "Hiccup! C'mere!" The short, yet strong blond enveloped her arms around Hiccup, threatening to snap him in half.
"C-Cami! Good to see you," Hiccup wheezed out.
Grinning at the sight, Thuggory placed a hand on Camicazi's shoulder. "Don't suffocate him, Cami. Gods, look at him!" Laughing at the sight of Hiccup as though he would black out from the lack of his airflow being cut off.
"Spoilsport," Camicazi glared at Thuggory before releasing Hiccup with a sweet smile. "Sorry about that. It's just... I missed you."
Regaining his breath, Hiccup grinned at Camicazi. "Likewise," he then looked at Thuggory, landing a playful jab into his chest. "I missed you too, Thug. Anything exciting happens to you over the years?" Looking at Camicazi, the Meathead heir took one of her hands and as it clicked in Hiccup's mind, his mouth fell open in both shock and happiness. "You and Cami? Really?"
"Guilty as charged," the Bog heir shrugged. "We've been betrothed for six months, and we're hoping to tie the knot very soon."
Hiccup was both surprised and unsurprised by this revelation. Camicazi and Thuggory were always close, even as children, whenever their parents would visit Berk and bring them along, Hiccup always noted that his two closest friends in the world had a bond that was closer than friendship. But now that his friends were betrothed, Hiccup grinned, he often wondered if they married in the years he was out in the world either on jobs or exploring, now he had his answer.
"Well well well, look who's back,"
Groaning in annoyance, Hiccup saw Snotlout approaching with the twins by his side. Astrid and Fishlegs approached too, as well as their dragons. Toothless narrowed his eyes at the five dragons, growling softly, unafraid to take action if they or their riders attacked his rider.
"Let me guess, you won't fight for us?"
Crossing his arms, Hiccup answered his cousin. "That's right," he then raised an eyebrow at his egotistical relative. "What're you going to do about it, little man?"
"I'll beat you into a bloody pulp, just as I did when you were a nobody," Snotlout replied with a smirk.
Snickering, Hiccup had always found his cousin's arrogance to be annoying, but now it was amusing. "You would fill your breaches if you fought me in a real fight, cousin. I can read you like a book, and you would not only be utterly humiliated, but your life would be in my hands," he then raised a questioning eyebrow. "Would you care to test your luck?"
"With pleasure," Snotlout grinned.
"Enough!"
Queen Una, who was about to break up the engagement was stopped when Hiccup turned to the patron of this raid. "This is a waste of my time, Your Highness. I am no longer a believer in the Viking ways. I have been baptized in the Christian faith," everyone gathered gasped in shock at this revelation. Hiccup reached for his crucifix necklace, presenting the gold cross to the Vikings. "As part of the deal to marry Princess Rapunzel, I had to renounce my pagan past. And I did, without any regrets." The Vikings began murmuring amongst themselves, many of them could hardly believe that Hiccup would do such a thing.
Stoick, who had emerged out of the tent alongside Queen Ana was speechless. He could admit that branding and exiling Hiccup for bonding with the Night Fury was a hasty choice, especially since his son and dragon could've made Berk the most powerful Viking tribe in Norway. But now, Hiccup, who was now a Christian could never be among them.
"You're... a Christian?!"
Turning around to face Astrid, the former heir of Berk looked the blond shield maiden in the eyes and gave a firm nod. "I am," Hiccup tucked his crucifix necklace back in his armor before addressing the crowds of frowning Vikings. "And if any of you has a problem with that, I could care less; I stopped caring about you the moment my father branded me and cast me out." Looking to Queen Una, the converted Viking prince shook his head softly. "I refuse to fight alongside you. My place and loyalty are to my kingdom and wife, not to you."
Stoick approached, his face flushed with anger. He remembered being enraged whenever his son would disobey his orders during dragon raids and cause more harm than good. Now, he had tainted the Haddock name in front of countless Vikings and the eyes of the gods. He admitted his past actions were too extreme, but his anger was justified here, as of this moment, Hiccup was no longer his son. "You've thrown your lot with them," he seethed coldly. "You're not a Viking. You're not my son."
"Go on, Christian!"
"Leave, before we decide to flay you alive!"
"You are a disgrace!"
The Vikings began to jeer and mock Hiccup as he mounted Toothless and was prepared to take off. Before he did, however, he looked back at Stoick with a stern look. "All my life, all I ever wanted was to make you proud. But I carved my path without you trying to mold me into the son you always wanted," scoffing softly, Hiccup shook his head. "You're right, I'm not your son. And you're not my father. You never were." With that said, Hiccup urged Toothless to take to the sky, and the duo soon disappeared in the morning clouds.
Clenching his hands into fists, Stoick unleashed a furious roar that spooked a flock of nearby birds, causing them to flutter off into the sky. Collapsing to his knees, the leader of the Hairy Hooligans gritted his teeth and stuck to the ground in fury. His only son had forsaken Odin and the Æsir in favor of the Christian way of life all because of Corona's lost princess— Rapunzel.
"Well, uh, that went well," Gobber sighed.
"I... I can't believe this," Fishlegs shook his head. "This can't be happening."
Spitelout placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and attempted to soothe his anger. "We can dispatch our best assassins to bring Hiccup back here so that you can kill him yourself, Stoick," gently squeezing his shoulder, Spitelout continued. "Just say the word, and I'll see it done."
"No. We stick to our plan," Queen Una cooed. Turning to one of her bodyguards, she gave them a nod. "Summon the bounty hunters." The guard bowed his head and went to fetch the hunters in their employ.
"I always knew Hiccup would do something like this," Snotlout snorted while crossing his arms. "We should've killed him when we had the chance." Many of the Vikings grunted in agreement with the young Jorgenson.
"With respect, Queen Una, Spitelout's boy is right," Dagur said with gritted teeth. "Hiccup has spat on Odin, our gods, and our way of life by converting to the Christian way of life. Had we killed him, taking Corona would've been far easier. But because you let him leave here, the enemy's greatest advantage is having that traitor by their side."
Glaring at the Berserker chieftain, Una chose not to reply, instead, she turned to the bounty hunters who were now approaching. "Hiccup Haddock has refused to fight for us and is forever a traitor in our eyes. You are to kidnap his wife, Rapunzel, and bring her here. With his wife in our grasp, Hiccup will be overcome by worry and fear on behalf of his wife's safety, as will Corona's rulers. We will fight our enemy on our terms once you have brought us our valuable hostage," looking at Cassandra, the patron of the Viking raid spoke in a cool tone. "Fail in retrieving Rapunzel Haddock to us, and losing your bounty will be the least of your concerns."
"I understand, Queen Una," Cassandra bowed her head before turning to Eugene, Lance, and the Stabington Brothers. "Let's go." The bounty hunters were provided with horses and they soon rode out of the Viking war camp and back to the Kingdom of Corona.
Astrid, who had been silent for most of the transaction was in a state of sheer disbelief, at what she had heard. Hiccup was a Christian? She dared not believe it, but he had arrived without his Viking arm ring and whore a gilded cross around his neck, confirming what she wanted to deny.
"Why bother chasing that traitor, Astrid? By the end of this raid, he'll be dead and I'll take his Night Fury as my dragon," Snotlout grinned, only to be swatted in the back of the head by Hookfang's tail, the Monstrous Nightmare let out an enraged huff at his rider's poor choice of words. "D-Did I say taking that Night Fury as my dragon? Sorry, I meant to say, I'll claim its head, no dragon could ever replace you, Hookfang." The Monstrous Nightmare rolled his eyes while trodding away.
"I enjoy pulling surprises like any other person on Midgard, but, uh... what Hiccup just pulled was not what I expected," Tuffnut said before turning to his sister. "Did you see that coming?"
"Nope. How could anyone see this coming? Supposedly the man we took our inspiration to ride dragons turns out to be a Christian now. No, I didn't see this coming, Tuff," Ruffnut frowned.
"It doesn't matter,"
Stoick, who was finally ready to speak after silently seething at the revelation of Hiccup renouncing the Viking way of life looked at his allies and companions. "Hiccup... is gone. We're enemies now, and we must treat him as an enemy, anyone who compromises with him will be labeled as a traitor as well," Stoick then looked at his patron. "We must prepare a solid plan to destroy our enemies before the bounty hunters return with the girl who destroyed any chance of bringing my son back to us fully." Humming in agreement with Stoick, Queen Una dismissed the hordes of Vikings gathered and had all the Viking leaders join her in the war tent to form a sound battle strategy.
Camicazi and Thuggory, however, were still shocked. Even though Hiccup revealed that he had renounced the Viking way of life, the two Vikings didn't resent their old friend for it. They knew Hiccup better than anyone, and they knew how the Vikings made Hiccup's life a living nightmare all because he wasn't physically imposing and wasn't following the traditions of their forefathers. Truthfully, they felt happy that Hiccup wouldn't allow others to tell him what to do or how to live his life, especially now that he was married and was happy. If anyone is in the wrong, it's them; they're here threatening Hiccup's home and his family, two things that Hiccup never truly had on Berk.
"Do you think you could kill Hiccup, once we meet each other in the upcoming battle?"
Turning to her betrothed, Camicazi shook her head. "N-No. I could never kill Hic, neither would you," the Bog Burglar let out a heavy sigh. "What do we do?"
Pursing his lips, Thuggory looked to the sky before murmuring. "Whatever happens these next few days, I won't kill Hiccup. He's our brother, and if anyone in this camp so much as breathes in his direction, I'll tear their spine out,"
(Kingdom of Corona)
The flight back to Corona was irritating for Hiccup. "The audacity of those people," Hiccup scoffed. "They want me to betray my family and my wife just so that they could seize their glory? Yeah, that'll be the day."
Toothless turned his head while giving his rider a worried warble. Sighing, Hiccup caressed his dragon's neck. "I'm fine, bud. I just... those people, have robbed me of a lifetime of happiness, love, and meaning. I finally found that after Frederic and Arianna took me into their home and gave me their blessing to marry Rapunzel. Now my father, the Hairy Hooligans, and the Vikings by their side wish to rob me of my world and my happiness. I'll be damned if I allow that to happen," the young prince looked to the horizon with a determined look on his face. "I'll kill every last one of them if I have to. None of them will set one foot inside of Corona's walls, not while there's breath in my lungs."
Hiccup was too immersed in his thoughts to notice a dragon's tail fin slicing through the clouds beneath Toothless. Only when the Night Fury growled did Hiccup look down to notice the familiar dragon appendage before disappearing in the clouds. Scoffing softly, Hiccup spoke up. "Are you going to stalk me until I get back home or won't you come up here and have words with me in a proper manner?" A massive Stormcutter soon emerged out of the clouds, and on its back was a masked, armored rider wielding a shield and staff in their hands. Eyeing them from head to toe, Hiccup snorted softly. "Hello, Valka."
Valka Haddock, wife to Stoick the Vast and mother to Hiccup, lifted her helmet so that she could look at her son without the mask obscuring her face. "Hello, Hiccup," she smiled softly. "I see you've grown the last time I saw you."
"And I saw you watching me getting married from atop Corona's castle," Hiccup remarked while noting his mother blushing in embarrassment. "If I had known you were coming, I would've offered you a proper invitation."
"Well, the last time we met, we left each other on bad terms—"
"Because you dared to tell me who I can and can't work for when I was still a bounty hunter," Hiccup reminded her with a sneer. "You've been absent from my life all my life. You're many things, Valka, but a mother is not one of them." Hiccup noted the pang of hurt that crossed Valka's face, but it was the truth. Deciding to change the subject, Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Why are you here, Valka?"
"I... I heard that your father and the Hairy Hooligans ride dragons not long ago, I dared not believe it, but after visiting Berk, it would seem that the rumors were true," looking back at her son, Valka continued. "I came here to offer you my assistance. You know that me and my dragon riders would be of great use in keeping your father and the other Vikings here at bay."
Narrowing his eyes at his mother, Hiccup didn't want to admit it, but having his mother and her tribe of dragon riders would certainly help Corona's defense a great deal. Deciding not to underestimate his father and Queen Una, Hiccup gave his mother a firm nod. "Fine. You and your people can help. But you need to stop trying to win over my forgiveness by doing me favors like this. Just... be there for me, as my mother," he then snorted softly. "I know that's a big ask, but since you love dragons and your people more than your son, I'm not holding my breath."
"Hiccup, that's not true," Valka frowned.
"Really? Then why didn't you come back for me when I was younger? You could've spared me a lifetime of misery back on Berk, but no. You chose dragons over your only son," Hiccup glared, his resentment toward his mother was justified as it was also eating him alive. He wanted to forgive his mother, but how could he? "I have a wife and will soon have a family of my own. And I would love for my future children to meet their grandmother. But it's up to you, if you want to live a careless, feral, adventurous life with Cloudjumper and your people within the Dragon Sanctuary, then do it. But I will fight to defend my new home and my family from the Vikings, with or without your help."
Hiccup said what was on his heart and urged Toothless to take off, and in the blink of an eye, the Night Fury flew at speeds that Cloudjumper could never match. The wind roared in his ears and lashed against his skin, but Hiccup ignored the sensations he was experiencing and was already concocting a plan to expel Stoick and the other Vikings out of Corona.
As the day came to an end, Hiccup met with Frederic and Corona's nobles and generals to discuss a plan of attack while also strengthening the city's defenses in case the Vikings decided to attack directly. Hiccup was well aware that the Vikings were under a great deal of stress, especially since this was their first raid in centuries, and they would do anything to ensure their victory.
One of the possibilities Hiccup anticipated his enemies would do would be to abduct his wife and force him and Corona's army to face them and their dragons on their terms and a battlefield of their choosing. Hiccup not only anticipated this possibility, but he planned on it; if the Vikings would send assassins to capture Rapunzel and cut off the head of Corona, that being Frederic and Arianna, the kingdom would plunge into chaos. As Corona's prince, Hiccup commanded the royal guard to double their numbers to protect their rulers and their princess, none were to see them unless they were summoned and all suspicious activity was to be met with action.
Hiccup soon retired to his chambers where Rapunzel was already asleep. Smiling at the sight of his wife sound asleep, Hiccup approached and placed a tender kiss against her temple before he began to strip off his leather armor. Sighing heavily, the young prince thought back on his meeting with his father and the Vikings. He knew that they were crazy, but they must be truly desperate to try and sway him over to their side, it exploited a weak spot in their armor; they weren't confident in their ability to take Corona.
They're afraid of failure.
Hiccup was well aware that Vikings are not fond of failure and compromise, it's what made his life so miserable back on Berk because he was considered a failure in the eyes of the Hairy Hooligans and they would not compromise with him in any way.
Growling softly as bad memories of his life as a boy flashed in his mind, Hiccup was about to take his crimson tunic off, when suddenly, he could hear the sounds of faint struggling outside his and Rapunzel's bed chamber door. Reaching for Inferno, Hiccup hid away in the shadows and saw the door open slowly, revealing a hooded figure with a bloodied sword in hand. This hooded figure approached Rapunzel, Hiccup, however, would not allow this intruder to breathe in his wife's direction.
Drawing Inferno and swinging at the intruder, Hiccup heard them cry out in surprise and pain as Hiccup was able to cut the intruder across the face. The flames of his blade began to devour the intruder's cloak, forcing the figure to rip off their cloak as it burned away, and revealing themselves to Hiccup.
"Cassandra," Hiccup seethed in recognition.
Smirking at the former bounty hunter, the raven-haired beauty twirled her sword while wiping away the blood seeping from the wound Hiccup inflicted on her. "Once again we find ourselves at odds, Haddock," her smirk was replaced with a glare. "Step aside."
"H-Hiccup?"
Looking over his shoulder, he saw Rapunzel had woken up from the commotion, Hiccup then told her to run. "Call for Bluster, Sunflower. Get out of here!"
"Oh, no you don't!"
Cassandra ran after Rapunzel, but Hiccup tackled one of his former adversaries in the Bondsman Guild and began to choke her out with an arm around her throat. Gagging violently, Cassandra tried to cut away at Hiccup, but he severed her blade in half thanks to Inferno. Looking over his shoulder, Hiccup was relieved to see Rapunzel mounting her Singetail and taking off.
"NO!"
Crying out in anger, Cassandra used the jagged, severed half of her blade to stab Hiccup in the side, causing him to cry out in pain. The female hunter kicked Hiccup off of her and ran for the balcony that Rapunzel ran to. Seeing the princess flying further into the sky caused Cassandra to growl in anger, but as she turned around, she was met with a ferocious punch by Hiccup, knocking her out cold.
"Cass? Everything alright in there?"
The doors opened, revealing Lance and Eugene, both men blanched at the sight of Hiccup who now ripped off his tunic so that he could cauterize his wound with Inferno. Growling in pain as the fire closed his wound, the prince of Corona approached the two intruders with a heated glare.
"Well, I guess that answers that," Eugene retorted to Lance before yelping in fear when Hiccup brought Inferno to the handsome, yet devious con artist. "Not the face, not the face!"
"Shut up," Hiccup seethed at the cocky bounty hunter before locking eyes with Lance. "Where are Stabington Brothers?" When he gave no reply, Hiccup raised Inferno to the man's face, causing Lance to gulp loudly. "Where?" A dozen guards suddenly arrived as they surrounded both bounty hunters while taking the knocked Cassandra to a cell in the dungeon.
"T-They're waiting at a nearby brothel— The Seductress. We were going to meet them there once we had kidnapped the princess and eliminated the king and queen."
Retracting his fiery blade, Hiccup turned to one of the guards. "Send men to find and arrest the Stabington Brothers and have them locked away along with these two. They'll all soon hang for attempted kidnapping and murder of Corona's princess and rulers."
"Yes, Prince Hiccup,"
The guards disarmed Eugene and Lance before taking them to the dungeon. Hiccup returned to his room and found Rapunzel and Bluster returning. Husband and wife soon found themselves in a warm embrace, Hiccup cooing reassuring words against his wife's head as she was visibly shaken from nearly being taken from her home.
For the rest of the night, Hiccup slept with Inferno in his hand, Toothless and Bluster were there as well, acting as sentries to protect their riders from any further attempts against them. But when it was clear that no one else was coming, the only thing that was on Hiccup's mind was how he would make the Vikings pay for targeting his wife and in-laws.
If they want to earn their glory, Hiccup would make them work for it. And when they were so close to obtaining their glory, he would take it away from them and land the killing blow.
A/N: The next chapter is gonna be the big battle! I'll get started on it as soon as possible, I want to knock this book out so that I can be done with it and then brainstorm what to write next. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it, and stay tuned for the next update!