A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! I'm excited to be posting a new chapter, the first one this year! Christmas had me very busy, and then I took a much needed break, and now I'm juggling my fan fictions as well as some commissioned artwork for an independent film that I've been hired to help with.
My update schedule will be changing for the next few months, to every other Monday, instead of every Monday. I have a lot of work to get done and posting every week is very time consuming. If you're ever wondering when my next update will be, just look at my profile/bio, where I'll try to keep everyone in the loop.
Thanks for supporting my fan fictions, it means a lot!
Warning: Violence and injury.
—
High Stakes Game
All Toothless knew in that moment, was that he was going to get to Hiccup one way or another, even if he didn't yet know how. He had decided that it was about time he stopped moping around in Hiccup's loft, waiting for Astrid to come around, so he had left the Haddock household and wandered into the village, Heimdall not far behind him.
He ignored all the greetings the people gave him as he walked through the village, giving warning growls that he wasn't in the mood for pleasantries, and startling the people who usually knew him as friendly.
It wasn't long before he found himself at the cliff near the ramps that led down to the docks, and started pacing irritably, huffing as he looked at his useless tail fin, and growling some more as he looked out at the endless ocean.
There weren't very many options open to him, Toothless figured. He couldn't fly on his own and Astrid wouldn't fly him right now. There weren't that many people on Berk who knew how to use his rigging, and the ones who did wouldn't take him either and probably wouldn't be able to fly him for such a distance. Astrid had said that Hiccup was about a day-and-a-half's boat ride away, and that was a few hours away by dragon.
Toothless perked up for a moment, maybe he could hop on one of the boats and someone could sail him out to Hiccup. But... how would he relay the message of where he wanted to go? No one else understood him, and even Astrid, who tended to catch on to what he was saying better than most others besides Hiccup, was not listening to him. Toothless swished his tail in annoyance.
A boat was still a day and a half away, and he needed to get to Hiccup, now. Glancing up, he noticed a few other dragons flying in the sky, and longed to be up there with them. He hadn't been flying as much lately, because Hiccup was not there. Could another dragon maybe get him out there? It would have to be a big and strong dragon, one who could fly long distances while carrying heavy things, because without a rider and his rigging, he was a dead weight up in the air. Toothless growled again at the thought.
Though he couldn't see, Heimdall easily picked up on Toothless' mood and stayed out of the Night Fury's way. Toothless wasn't in the mood for cuddles or for comfort, there was only one thing he wanted, and that was Hiccup. Sensing that there was nothing he could do, Heimdall turned and scampered away in search of the only other person on Berk he knew fairly well.
Hiccup wasn't on the island and neither was Valka, the other person he went to when he needed something. However, Astrid, the female who spent time around Hiccup, was there, and he could find her fairly easily.
—
It had been a long day and Astrid was finding it hard to focus on anything. She had tried to push Toothless' behavior from her mind, but deep down, she knew that the dragon's instincts were to be trusted. Hiccup relied on Toothless as his equal in flight, as his partner in battle, and as his best friend. And here she was, brushing Toothless off because she was worried about not letting Stoick and Hiccup down, her chief and betrothed, respectively, who had trusted her with Berk's well-being.
"Something wrong?" Gobber's voice broke through her thoughts and she realized that she had been walking aimlessly through the village, happening to end up at the forge. Or, maybe she had been wanting to go there all along, Astrid wasn't sure.
"Gobber." Astrid acknowledged her friend and mentor. "I, uh... I don't know."
"You don't know if something is wrong?" Gobber stopped what he was doing and raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the counter of the forge to look out at Astrid.
"I've never done this on my own before." Astrid referred to being interim chief. "I don't want to mess anything up."
"Ah, well that sounds familiar." Gobber replied, continuing when Astrid gave him a confused look. "I'm pretty sure Hiccup has said something similar to me, on more than one occasion. Aren't you usually the confident one?"
"Hiccup can be confident." Astrid defended, then added to her statement. "But he's prone to doubting himself."
"And he leans on you for support." Gobber pointed out.
"Yeah, and I rely on him too."
"It won't be often that you'll be doing this on your own, you and Hiccup will be a team, a good one." Gobber tried to cheer Astrid up, having thought she looked a little lost and a bit worried just now. "But when he's not around, there are still plenty of people here to support you. So, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." Astrid shrugged, feeling like Gobber might just tease her about missing her other half if she mentioned her worries about Hiccup. But Gobber had just been uncharacteristically sincere, so she decided to take a chance. "At least, nothing around here. Everything on Berk is running smoothly. I'm just... I'm worried about Hiccup... and Stoick and Valka. They've been gone for too long."
"Hmm." Gobber hummed in agreement, seeming to be thinking back on how long it had been. "I was wondering about that too. It's been over a week, I was sure they'd have been back by now."
"What do you do when you have a responsibility to your people, but you also feel that you're needed somewhere else?" Astrid sounded more desperate than Gobber was used to hearing from her, and felt bad that he hadn't been paying more attention to her. If Hiccup had been left in charge, Gobber would have been checking in on him regularly, because Hiccup was prone to doubting and overworking himself. However, since Astrid often seemed to be the voice of reason between her and Hiccup, Gobber hadn't really thought he'd need to check in on her, figuring that she would come to him if she needed anything.
"What would Hiccup do?" Gobber asked in response to Astrid's question. However, before Astrid could answer, Heimdall came running toward them, rather clumsily, and nearly knocked Astrid over.
"Heimy?" Astrid acknowledged the dragon in surprise. The blind dragon did not settle down or even respond to her. Instead, Heimdall squawked, turned in circles, and headed back the way he had come. After exchanging a glance with Gobber, Astrid ran after the blind dragon. Gobber quickly left the forge, though he didn't follow just yet.
—
Toothless hadn't moved from his spot, looking out over the ocean from his position on the cliff. He stared longingly in the direction he knew Hiccup was in, people passing by and giving the dragon curious looks.
It wasn't until Toothless heard Astrid calling his name that he came out of his trance, his eyes narrowing. He wouldn't let Astrid stop him from finding a way to his best friend. She should be on his side, also wanting to get to Hiccup, since she was his rider's future mate.
"Toothless, what are you doing? Are you alright?" Astrid arrived just behind Heimdall, the blind dragon standing to the side with his head tilted, listening. She approached the Night Fury, but paused when he growled at her. "Toothless, I-"
Thinking that Astrid was going to dismiss him once more and try to get him to settle down and go back home, Toothless growled again before launching himself off the edge of the cliff.
People in the area gasped as Toothless remained airborne for a few moments, before ultimately descending in an unsteady glide for the water below. The Night Fury hadn't been acting like himself lately, but jumping off of a cliff when he couldn't fly? That was just crazy.
Once Toothless splashed down into the cool water, he resurfaced and began swimming. He had to admit to himself that this wasn't the best plan he had ever had. It would be slow going and he would eventually tire, but he was determined to get to Hiccup. Nothing and no one would stop him.
"Toothless?" The sound of a voice broke Toothless from his thoughts and he looked up to see Bucket and Mulch on a fishing boat, having caught up to him in. Maybe they would take him to Hiccup.
"Why don't you climb aboard? We'll take you back to the dock." Mulch suggested as Bucket scrambled to throw a rope overboard that wouldn't have been much help to Toothless anyway.
When Mulch offered to take him back to Berk, Toothless snorted and stubbornly swam past the boat and in the direction he was pretty sure Hiccup was in.
"Wait!" Mulch called from behind Toothless, then directed the boat to follow behind the Night Fury. They didn't know what was going on with Toothless, but they weren't about to just let Hiccup's dragon swim out to sea on his own.
—
"Toothless!" Astrid shouted, reaching out for the dragon as he leapt into the air, but having to stop at the edge of the cliff. She watched with wide eyes as Toothless was able to keep a steady descent from the cliff, down into the water below. He couldn't fly on his own, couldn't gain altitude or change his direction much, but he could slow his own fall and control it to a point. Astrid let out the breath she was holding as her betrothed's dragon landed safely in the water. She couldn't believe his bizarre behavior.
"What is he going to do, swim to Hiccup?" Astrid asked Heimdall, the only one who was there with her, in disbelief. Looking back over the edge, it did indeed look like Toothless intended to swim. A smaller fishing boat had approached the dragon, but Toothless seemed to be ignoring it. "What do you say, Heimy? Do you think you could get me down there?"
Heimdall cocked his head to the side, not reacting for a moment, before letting the request sink in and turning so that she had access to his back. Astrid had never flown a Hobblegrunt before, or a blind dragon for that matter, but Heimy could fly just fine if he had direction, and she would give it to him. Hiccup had flown a blindfolded Night Fury, so she was sure she could fly a blind dragon.
Climbing aboard, Astrid adjusted herself to the feel of being on the back of a dragon that wasn't her own, or Hiccup's. Heimy shook his head and stretched out his wings, then waited. Finding a good handhold, Astrid did her best to direct the blind dragon.
"Alright, let's go. Just a steady descent, down to that boat. I'll guide you." Astrid directed, and Heimdall didn't hesitate in the least, even though he couldn't see and was not accustomed to having a rider. He launched himself over the edge, like Toothless had, eager to get down to his new dragon friend, already sensing where the Night Fury was. Astrid let out a gasp as the Hobblegrunt leapt, but she was familiar with the feeling of flight and quickly gained the control she needed to direct the blind dragon as he descended to the water below.
"Astrid, over here!" Bucket called out from the fishing boat, waving his hands around. "Toothless has gone crazy."
Heimdall glided in the direction of Bucket's voice, tilting his head as he hovered over the fishing boat for a moment, until Astrid indicated that he should land. The landing was a little clumsy, but both dragon and rider were fine.
"Keep following Toothless." Astrid ordered as she dismounted the Hobblegrunt.
"Is everything okay?" Mulch questioned, sailing the boat after the Night Fury, despite Astrid's lack of an answer.
"Toothless!" Astrid ran to the front of the boat, calling after the stubborn dragon who was swimming away from her. "What are you doing? You really think you can swim to Hiccup? That's crazy."
Toothless huffed as the boat caught up to him, ignoring Astrid with a scowl on his face. He wasn't the fastest swimmer either, he was meant for flight, not swimming.
"I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have dismissed you. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it, and you're right. We need to go after Hiccup, to make sure him, Valka, and the chief are alright." Astrid looked down into the water, as they sailed next to the dragon.
Toothless' expression softened and he looked up at her with his big, green eyes. He tread water as he cooed up at her in question.
"Come out of the water, we're going to find Hiccup."
—
With Toothless aboard, Bucket and Mulch brought the fishing boat back to the docks. Astrid pet the Night Fury, trying to comfort him, reassuring him that she would go with him. Once the Night Fury knew that she meant what she said, he was much more willing to listen and cooperate.
As they approached the docks, Astrid noticed the group waiting for them. Gobber stood at the front, the Dragon Riders, including the addition of Eret, and all their dragons were with them. All together, the large group took up a lot of the deck, getting in the way of fishermen and dock workers.
"Gobber?" Astrid asked in confusion as she climbed out of the fishing boat with the aid of Bucket. She thanked him and walked up to her group of friends and the dragons.
"Hiccup would do what he felt was right." Gobber answered the question he had asked Astrid earlier, just before Heimdall had shown up. "And I think you know what that is." He held up Toothless' tail fin.
"I have to go to Healer's Island, to check in on Hiccup and his parents." Astrid accepted the tail fin that she would be needing, to fly Toothless, and confirming that she knew what she had to do. "But I need all of you to stay here, to watch Berk for me. Hiccup and Stoick left me in charge, I can't let them down and abandon Berk without leaving our people in good hands."
"We're coming." Snotlout stepped forward as the spoke in a firm voice.
"We're your team." Ruffnut said, her brother nodding in agreement.
"And we're Hiccup's team." Fishlegs said.
"I appreciate that... but what about Berk? We're still recovering from Drago, we can't all just leave." Astrid protested.
"The A-Team is still here." Eret pointed out, having been spending a lot of time at the Dragon Academy that Astrid had started up again. There were other good dragon riders on Berk, some just starting to learn, others who had more experience.
"Berk will be fine, Astrid." Gobber finally spoke up. "I already told you that you don't have to do this alone, you have plenty of support— the support of all of your people. I talked to your parents, they're going to keep an eye on things, along with Spitelout. That's three people watching Berk, as well as a team of trained Dragon Riders."
"We can do that?" Astrid seemed unsure, feeling like she was abandoning her position.
"We can do that. We have a council for a reason. Sigrid and Arne will be part of the chief's family once you and Hiccup marry, they can step in as interim chief. Berk will be fine." Gobber assured her. "Stoick and Hiccup will be proud of the work you've done, they won't mind that you left to check in on them."
Astrid nodded her head, feeling better about leaving her responsibilities behind in favor of going after the Haddock family. All her friends were there, including Eret. Their dragons were there, Stormfly included, as well as Skullcrusher and Cloudjumper, both dragons finding it difficult to perch on the docks, since they were large. It was a big group of people and dragons, but she was grateful that they had all come, that they were all supporting her.
With a smile, Astrid turned away so that she could attach Toothless' prosthetic tail fin and check the rigging. She directed Stormfly to follow behind her and Toothless, tried to get Heimdall to return to the village, but failed. Then prepared to lead the group to Healer's Island.
As Toothless launched himself into the air, able to fly with a capable rider on his back, he could feel the tension inside him fade, just a little, as he was finally headed for his Hiccup.
—
It was probably the hardest thing they had ever done, and they felt completely helpless. Stoick and Valka remained in their spot at the top of the cliff side, where they had a view over the tops of the trees, of the Grimborns' house and the clearing around it. Albeit, the view was from a distance away, but they could see figures moving around and they could see Hiccup laying on the ground where he had been dragged.
As they sat there, eyes on their unmoving son, Stoick had filled in the rest of the blanks for Valka, about Hiccup's adventures on Dragon's Edge, or at least all that he knew about them. He was sure Hiccup hadn't told him everything, just the highlights and important things. Once the explanation was done and Valka had asked the few questions that she'd had, they remained in silence for some time, watching and waiting.
"Katla and Ullr are leaving, Hiccup is just laying there. Maybe now is our chance." Valka observed, watching as the two entered the woods and disappeared from view. Ryker and Yrsa remained behind.
"I'm not so sure." Stoick was watching too. It seemed the ideal opportunity, assuming that he and his wife were a match for Ryker and Yrsa, and he was sure that they were. However, if anything should happen to them, Hiccup would have no one to save him. They had to be careful, to make sure that whatever happened, it resulted in Hiccup's safety.
"What do you mean?" Valka pried her eyes away from the distant sight, looking up at Stoick, who sat beside her.
"There are too many unknowns. Ryker wasn't as conniving as Viggo, but he was still smart enough, and more than brutal." Stoick explained his hesitance, seeing the eagerness on his wife's face, to get Hiccup safely away as soon as they could. "I want Hiccup safe too, but we know that the Grimborns have a plan, and part of that plan is hunting us down. They want us to go after Hiccup, so that they can come after us. It's a game to them. If we go down there, Ryker might just go straight for Hiccup, then he'll be able to control us by threatening him."
"You think this is a trap?"
"Ryker's confident enough not to be that cautious. He doesn't think that we can do anything against him."
"Or maybe he just thinks that we're not going to do anything yet, and is being negligent." Valka countered.
"That's a possibility as well, but we can't just go taking chances this time. Our plan didn't go well this morning, and now Hiccup is in danger. What if we go down there and we aren't successful? Hiccup could be killed, or he could be left without help if we don't make it." Stoick expressed his worries. "Even if Ullr and Katla aren't there right now, they could be anywhere on the island. They could be setting us up, they could be keeping watch from within the trees. They know this place well. I don't think this is our opportunity."
Valka sighed, understanding her husband's worries. She didn't want to risk Hiccup's life or safety either, but she was so on edge, watching Hiccup— so vulnerable as he lay there, in the clutches of their enemies. They kept watch over him in silence for a while longer.
Valka suddenly gasped, her hand covering her mouth as she flinched. Stoick quickly put an arm around her, having felt like he was being kicked in the gut as well, when they had seen Ryker kick an unmoving Hiccup, twice.
"Stoick..." Valka clutched at his hand, her eyes becoming watery.
"I know... we're going to save him." Stoick wanted to go charging in, tear Ryker to shreds, and take Hiccup to safety. But there were so many uncertainties, and he couldn't risk his son. The Grimborns were planning something, and that was what made him so hesitant. They could fall into their trap, and then Hiccup would be lost to them.
Ryker grabbed Hiccup's face, both Valka and Stoick tensing, both ready to climb down and throw all caution to the wind, but then he shoved their son back and walked away. Both parents relaxed a little, but they were still worried.
"He's not getting up, maybe he can't get away on his own, with his injuries..." Valka commented after a moment, when Ryker walked away from Hiccup, leaving him sitting there. If there was a chance for him to escape, it was in that moment.
"Hiccup is smart, and he's strong willed. If he really needed to... he could push through the pain."
Valka glanced at Stoick. "That's not as comforting as you may have thought it would be."
"What I mean is, Hiccup is clever. He's gotten himself out of dangerous situations before. He's pushed himself, he's not a quitter. If we're waiting for the right opportunity to go in, to save Hiccup, our best chance is to watch him carefully. I'm sure he's already thought through some kind of plan, and since he's down there with them, he'll know the best moment to escape." Even though Stoick felt like the worst father in the entire Archipelago, he did know his son well. "Our best chance of getting him out, is to keep watching for the right opportunity. In Hiccup's state, if he makes a move, he might not be successful without our help. From here, we can watch, and we aren't that far away. We can also look for patterns or mistakes the Grimborns make, and find the right moment to go in to save Hiccup. No matter what, we don't play by Ryker's rules."
Valka slowly nodded her head in understanding, a thoughtful expression on her face. She had only known her son for a short time, but she had a pretty good idea of his personality. He was smart, clever, inventive, and creative. Now that he was conscious and likely observing his surroundings, it seemed logical, to keep watching him, to wait for him to make a move before they went in, and to keep watching the Grimborns, to observe their behavior and actions.
"You're right, then. There's not much we can do but keep a close eye on things, to see what they do. If they can control us by threatening Hiccup, then we won't be able to help him."
"They intend to kill us, and then... kill Hiccup." Stoick hated the words coming out of his mouth, but he'd known cruel people before, and Ryker was one of them. The Grimborns did not intend for there to be any survivors, no matter what they said or promised.
A shudder ran through Valka, at the cruelty. She grimaced before her face turned into a scowl. She was thinking along the same lines as her husband. "So there'll be no reasoning with them." It wasn't a question.
"No." Stoick confirmed.
"Which means...?" Valka looked a little uncertain.
"We don't hold back." Stoick replied firmly. "If we can take them down, we do it."
"...right." Valka's uncertainty turned into confidence. "We do whatever it takes to save our son and stop those despicable people from ever doing this to someone else."
As his wife's aquamarine eyes stared into his with set determination, Stoick was reminded of his son. Valka was gentle, she was compassionate. She didn't resort to violence if she could avoid it. Hiccup was that way too. The difference was that Valka could accept when it became necessary— when the action was justified for the sake of self-defense and the well-being of others. But Hiccup still struggled with that concept, although he was learning.
Dealing with Drago had been an eye-opening experience for Hiccup. There were good and bad people in the world and Stoick hoped that Hiccup had learned enough to know that these people couldn't be reasoned with either. If Hiccup had any opportunity to gain an advantage over his captors, to escape or defend himself— Stoick hoped Hiccup would take it.
—
Hiccup blinked slowly, his gaze fixated on the camp fire a short distance in front of him. His body ached and sometimes the warmth of the fire felt nice, but with his throbbing head, the heat was also sometimes a bother. He was uncomfortable and wished that he could move into a different position, but his wrists and ankles were tied to the chair. Without thinking, Hiccup jolted, trying to force his arms to move despite the restrictive ropes.
"Uncomfortable?" Ullr taunted, spurred on by his father's chuckles. "Good."
"...shouldn't we give him some food?" Katla asked after a moment. When the disapproving glares of her family fell on her, she continued. "If he's too weak, then the hunt will be less fun."
Ryker turned his gaze on Hiccup, his enemy's head was drooping, his chin to his chest. Hiccup's breathing was raspy and unsteady, he seemed lost in his world of pain.
"No, he doesn't need any food. I don't want to deal with a mess, if he becomes nauseous." Ryker answered, a satisfied smirk on his face. Hiccup was hurting, and he was enjoying every moment of it.
"You didn't tell us what you found, in those traders' cache of goods." Yrsa changed the subject. Hiccup didn't mean anything to her, though she now had a grudge against him for burning their home and their treasures. They would have to rebuild and replenish. "You found it, didn't you?"
"The papers we found on their ship led us right to it." Ullr confirmed, then looked nervous for a moment. "Katla, tell them what was inside."
Katla glared up at her brother, knowing this tactic well. He didn't want to be the one to give his parents bad news, because then they would get upset and direct it at him. He wanted her to tell them, so that they would blame her.
"All that was inside the crate we uncovered, was stores of clothes, fabrics, and leather." Katla announced, her glare never leaving her brother who refused to meet her eyes.
"Just fabrics and clothes?" Ryker nearly growled. "With the large ship they had, they were merely storing fabric in that cache?"
"What a waste of time." Yrsa said, sounding bored. "Did you at least set up the traps, or did you fail at that too?"
Katla opened her mouth to reply, at least having something good to tell her parents, however, Ullr decided this was his moment to rejoin the conversation.
"All the traps you wanted, were set up, exactly where you wanted them." Ullr said, proudly. "Tomorrow, we can take Hiccup further into the woods, and we can lure his parents out there when we torture him. They won't have a choice but to go through the area with all the traps, and you can hunt them down. Hiccup will have to watch as you capture and kill them."
"Good." Ryker had a malicious smile on his face. "And after he's watched his parents die, I'll kill him slowly."
It almost seemed a shame to Ryker, that Hiccup was already so out of it, that he didn't react to anything they had just said. His gaze was directed down, his breathing still raspy, as he mindlessly tugged at the ropes tying his hands to the wooden armrests. Hopefully he would be more coherent in the morning, when they enacted their plan.
—
The sun set not long after the Grimborns finished eating their dinner, at which point they decided to get some rest. Ryker was sure that Stoick and Valka wouldn't try anything that night, and if they did, he would go straight for Hiccup and threaten to kill him if they didn't go along with their plan. He wouldn't have his fun being cut short.
Ullr was told to keep watch for the night, and he readily agreed, always willing to do what he could to please his parents. He walked the perimeter of the clearing with a lit torch, his dagger at his waist, and his bow and quiver at his back.
Hiccup, for his part, was not as out of it as Ryker had thought. He had indeed been in some pain and had also been uncomfortable, but he was thinking very clearly. He had noticed, early on, that the left arm rest that his left wrist was tied to, was loose, and he'd been tugging at it and wiggling it for the past few hours. It wouldn't take much more to break it, though it might be loud when he did. Once broken, he'd be able to use his left hand to untie his right wrist, which would then allow him to free his ankles. He would have to untie the broken piece of the wooden arm rest from his left wrist, as he ran— or more likely, limped, away. He wouldn't have a lot of time if someone happened to wake up.
At this point, Hiccup was just waiting for the right moment. The fire was still burning steadily, Ullr coming over to check on it from time to time. The rest of the Grimborn family appeared to be asleep, spread out around the warmth of the campfire. And, within the past hour, Hiccup had memorized Ullr's route as he kept watch. It hadn't been that hard, because once the sun had completely set, Hiccup simply kept an eye on the light of the torch that Ullr was holding, and could tell his position based off of that. So far, Ullr had not strayed from his route.
Hiccup's moment was coming.
Slowly, as if he were moving in his sleep in order to get more comfortable, Hiccup let his head roll to the side so that he could get a better view of Ullr. So long as Ryker's son hadn't decided to alter his route, then he should be about to circle around the back of the house, or what used to be a house. It was a pile of debris and charred, wooden planks. When Ullr walked around the back of the house, he was at the furthest point away from Hiccup in his route, and his view was sometimes blocked by the debris.
Hiccup let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding as Ullr continued along his route, to circle behind the house and keep watch over the beach that led down to the boats, tied at the dock.
Now was Hiccup's chance, and he had to act quickly. Hiccup gripped the end of the wooden armrest, tightly. His breathing was accelerating with anticipation as he prepared to tug the armrest free of the chair. If he didn't untie himself fast enough and Ryker woke up, there was no telling just how violent the man would react to his attempted escape. And if Hiccup did manage to escape, he would have to run through the pain in his stump and the overall aches and pains of his injured body. He'd dealt with the pain in his stump before, he could do it again.
With one last, deep breath, Hiccup jerked his left arm forward and upwards. The loose armrest protested for a moment, then gave, breaking away from the chair with a crack.
Not wanting to waste any time, Hiccup immediately used his free arm to start untying his right wrist. Once loose enough, he ignored the rest of the knot and slipped his right wrist free of its binds. No one had come to stop him and he hadn't heard movement or protesting voices, so he moved on to his legs, untying each one more easily now that he could use both hands.
When he had freed his legs, he stood, his left leg nearly giving from the sudden usage, but Hiccup breathed through the pain and started limping, spurred on by fear and desperation.
Incredibly, no one had woken. The snap from the armrest breaking off must not have stood out, not with the crackling of the fire, and Ullr had hopefully been too preoccupied to notice despite being tuned in to any sounds as he kept watch. No one expected the injured captive to be able to run away, especially with how out of it he'd seemed during the last hours of the day.
While limping away from the clearing in front of the house, and towards the trees, Hiccup freed his left wrist from the broken piece of the armrest. Instead of tossing it away, he decided to hold onto it, as his only form of a weapon.
—
Stoick and Valka had fallen into a routine. One of them would keep watch, while the other was able to rest their eyes. Neither of them could actually fall asleep, not while Hiccup was in danger, but having a moment to close their eyes was good enough for them.
"Stoick." Valka nudged her husband with her elbow, hearing as Stoick took in a deep breath of air as he became alert.
"What is it?" Stoick turned his gaze back to the clearing where Hiccup was. It took a moment for his tired eyes to focus, but he could make out the light of the fire and knew Hiccup was tied to a chair, next to it.
"I saw movement, where Hiccup is. Do you see?" She pointed, trying to help Stoick see what she was seeing. It was hard, with the limited light and the distance, but if one were focusing, they could see that Hiccup was no longer just sitting in the chair, he was moving, and bending over. "He must have gotten his arms free."
"It looks like he did..." Stoick was squinting at the faraway scene.
"There's no other movement by the fire, I don't think anyone has noticed."
Stoick's attention was then drawn to the other light, the light of the torch that they knew Ullr was carrying. It was over by the house, sweeping over the area and headed in Hiccup's direction.
"I think Ullr noticed." Stoick pointed out. It made sense, Ullr was keeping an eye out and listening for things, anything.
"This is our moment, Stoick." Valka looked like she was readying herself to go down the cliff side and run to her son. They saw as Hiccup's silhouette stood from the chair, hesitated, then limped away.
"Wait, look." Stoick pointed, seeing that the torch was now moving quickly toward where Hiccup had been sitting. It paused for a moment before racing off after their son. Ullr was in pursuit, and for some reason, he hadn't woken the others.
"He didn't wake the others for help." Valka pointed out.
"He doesn't want Ryker to know that Hiccup escaped on his watch." Stoick figured, remembering how Ryker's children acted like they wanted their parent's praise. It was a painful reminder of how Hiccup had used to try and please him, except the difference was that Hiccup had stopped trying to please him, and did what he thought was right, instead.
"Then he has only given us more of the advantage." Valka moved to lower herself onto the cliff face, so that she could climb down, but Stoick stopped her again. She looked at him with a bewildered expression.
"Not that way, Hiccup's heading out into the woods. We should go down the hillside that we went up this morning. We'll be able to intercept them." Stoick pointed at the steep hill that led down and headed south, to the end of the island where they had originally made camp.
After a brief moment of thought as Valka mapped out the area in her head, she agreed. However, as they both stood and were about to go down the hillside as fast as they could, they paused, their attention once again drawn to the torch that Ullr was carrying.
The torch had stopped moving, indicating that Ullr had stopped moving as well. Then, suddenly the torch was laying on the ground, dimming as the flame almost went out.
"What happened?" Valka asked in concern, neither of them could make out what had happened.
"I don't know..." Stoick answered, then tore his eyes away from the faraway scene. "Let's go, if Hiccup did get away, we need to be there for him."
With a nod, Valka wordlessly pressed Hiccup's dagger, that had been at her waist all this time, into Stoick's hand. She picked up her staff, slung Hiccup's satchel over her shoulders, then started down the path, descending down from their place at the top of the hill.
—
Hiccup could have cursed as he heard the sound of someone running behind him as he limped as fast as he could, away from the Grimborns. It seemed that Ullr had noticed after all. Hiccup was just grateful that he hadn't alerted Ryker and the others to his escape, yet. He probably didn't want his father to think lowly of him, if all that Hiccup had observed said anything. Ullr was always so concerned with how his parents saw him, and Katla was always the one he used as a scapegoat.
The broken armrest still in hand, Hiccup turned around. He could see Ullr approaching as the torch grew closer. In the dark, Ullr couldn't tell where exactly Hiccup was and Hiccup was grateful that the spare shirt he was wearing, was darker than his usual green. Hiccup figured, that the torch wasn't helping Ullr as much as he thought it would. The close proximity of the bright flame, to Ullr's face, made everything beyond the light that much darker. Hiccup's eyes were adjusted to the dark, Ullr had allowed his eyes to adjust to the light of the torch.
Instead of waiting for Ullr to come across him, Hiccup decided to attack. Ullr wouldn't see it coming, he thought Hiccup was still running away. Moving as fast as he could, Hiccup ran back the way he'd come, toward Ullr.
Hearing the sound of someone approaching and surprised by it, Ullr paused, lowering the flame so that he could try to get a better view. The last thing he saw, was Hiccup glaring at him, before something slammed into the side of his head and he hit the ground, hard. The torch fell from his hands, landing in the dirt.
Hiccup stumbled for a moment, after taking the swing at Ullr, the pain in his stump still there. He gasped at the reminder of his pain and quickly turned back around. He had to get as far away from the Grimborns as he could. He limped as fast as he could, finally making it into the cover of the trees.
Having heard everything the Grimborns had talked about, Hiccup now knew their entire plan. Ullr and Katla were going to torture him, to lure his parents out into the area with all of the traps they'd set up. Then Ryker and Yrsa would hunt them down and kill them in front of him. After that, Hiccup would be handed over to Ryker, so that he could make him suffer even more before killing him.
Hiccup couldn't let his parents be lured to their deaths, he couldn't watch them die. He knew they had to be out there, somewhere, trying to figure out how to save him. He'd had a lot of time to think about it as he had been tied to that chair, and instead of letting his mind get carried away with those negative thoughts, he made an effort to have trust in his parents. They loved him, they were worried about him, they were coming up with a plan to save him.
However, Hiccup had found his moment to escape, and he had to get to his parents so that they wouldn't fall into Ryker's trap. Though, part of him wondered if the plan would have even worked. Hiccup had seen a side to Katla that he hadn't known existed. He saw through her craziness, saw how she was treated, and felt like he could understand her position. Hiccup, himself, had used to crave the approval and praise of his father. He had been willing to kill dragons, to be violent, just to please his dad, even though that wasn't him. Katla wasn't treated well, she was an outcast in her own family. She just wanted her parents to love her, so she did things that weren't her.
As much as Hiccup wanted to know if he could get through to the poor girl, he couldn't wait around to find out if she would change sides and let go of her family's influence. He couldn't take that chance, not this time.
Somewhere in the distance, Hiccup could hear shouting. He felt a rising sense of panic as he imagined Ullr getting up and relenting to waking his parents, telling his father of his failure to capture the wounded, one-legged victim. Ryker would rage and they would all come after him. Hiccup tried to move faster.
All he had to go by, was his memory of where he'd already explored on the island, and he hadn't ever gotten around to mapping it out. He had a vague idea of where to find the meeting spot his parents had decided on, from where he was, and tried to steer himself in that general direction.
He didn't make it very far before a piercing, searing pain burst from his shoulder, causing Hiccup to stumble and fall to his knees. He gasped as his right hand went up to his left shoulder, and he felt the wet stickiness of blood and a tear in his shirt. An arrow had skidded into the ground ahead of him, he could see where it had landed, and he knew that if the arrow had hit him just a bit lower, it would have been sticking out of his shoulder instead. However, even though it stung with an intensity, it had only managed to slice through his skin, skimming against his shoulder.
Realizing what had just happened and knowing that meant Ullr was nearby, Ryker not far behind him, probably, Hiccup scrambled for cover. He dragged himself behind a tree, leaning against it as he breathed heavily and looked around himself with wide eyes.
He no longer had a weapon on him, having dropped it when he'd fallen to the ground in pain, after being shot at. Hiccup shook his head, deciding that it didn't matter. It hadn't been much of a weapon anyway.
When the soft sound of someone creeping toward him reached his ears, Hiccup did his best to quiet his labored breathing. His right hand was still holding to his bleeding shoulder, the burning sensation not going away. At least, Hiccup thought, it was distracting him from his other pains— dulled by the adrenaline coursing through him.
Pressing himself against the tree as much as he could, Hiccup prepared to defend himself, hearing as someone continued to approach. The shape of a drawn bow nocked with an arrow came into view as Ullr began to walk past the tree Hiccup was hiding behind.
"I know you're hurt." Ullr said, looking around for his prey. "It's you my father wants. If you come out, maybe he'll let your parents go."
Hiccup didn't move, hoping the shadow of the tree was obstructing himself from view. He knew that there was no way that Ryker would leave his parents alone. No, he was probably still hoping to go through with his plan to kill them while he was forced to watch, then kill him after. He wasn't going to reveal where he was.
Then Ullr's wording sunk in and Hiccup couldn't help but wonder what Ullr had meant by, 'let them go.' Had they been caught?
"They came for you, when you ran away." Ullr continued as he took slow and cautious steps forward, past the tree Hiccup was behind. "You escaped, but things are still going the way we wanted them to go. You're out here with me, my parents are going to take down yours. Unless... you decide to come out."
Hiccup had no way of knowing if his parents had actually come for him as he was running away. It was bad timing, if they had arrived right after he had left. It would explain why the rest of the Grimborn family wasn't there, just Ullr.
As Hiccup thought everything through, it seemed the best choice for him to stay hidden. In his state, he would likely lose a fight and that would mean that Ullr could put their plan into play. The archer could drag Hiccup out past the traps, could make him cry out in pain to lure his parents to him. Ryker and Yrsa would tail them, attack them... then they would kill his parents in front of him before ending his life.
Hiccup would not let that happen. If he wasn't captured, they had nothing to hold over his mom and dad. They loved him, he had decided to focus on that, to drive away the negative feelings threatening to consume him again. They had told him that they loved him. They had also promised to protect him, but Hiccup figured that the situation on the cliff side hadn't been ideal, how could his parents have known? He hadn't told them that his leg was acting up, he'd been too distracted by trying to get to Sharpshot, then trying to escape. There wouldn't have been much they could have done anyway, climbing the cliff had been their only option for escape. They loved him, and that meant that he could be used against them, so he had to avoid getting caught in order to give his parents a chance.
Then Ullr said something that completely changed his mind.
"If you don't come out, I'll go back and help my parents. Four against two? Do you think they'll survive that?" Ullr sounded like he was smirking, enjoying his taunts. "You don't have to be there when we kill them, even if that was what we wanted. Once they're gone, we'll just hunt you down, all of us. You'll be killed eventually. There's no where on this island that you can go, where we won't find you."
It was decided, Hiccup wasn't going to let his mom and dad be killed. He knew his dad was tough and his mom was also a good fighter. However, four against two was an unfair advantage, ignoring the idea that maybe Katla wouldn't join in. Hiccup couldn't let Ullr go back, he couldn't take that chance.
Hiccup took a deep breath, trying to breathe through the pain and ignore it. He knew the gash in his shoulder would cause him pain as he moved his left arm, and that his leg would cause him to limp. His other pains were more easily ignored, even if he thought he'd hurt his ribs when Ryker had kicked him, and his elbow was still throbbing every now and then. His head hadn't stopped aching either, but he would have to do his best, to keep Ullr out there with him. Hiccup didn't expect to win this fight, but he was going to keep Ullr out there with him for as long as he could, so that his parents had a chance.
Slowly, Hiccup stood, managing not to make a sound. Ullr had walked past the tree, still walking slowly, bow poised in front of him, leaving Hiccup in the perfect position to attack from behind.
—
The woods were surprisingly quiet as Stoick and Valka ran through the trees. The quiet calm was eerie, like the calm before a storm, Valka couldn't help but think. As if the entire island knew that something was about to happen. She could feel the tension growing within her, worried about which direction things would go. The quiet should be a good sign that Hiccup was safe, had gotten away. On the other hand, if he had gotten away, wouldn't there be shouting, the sounds of the Grimborns arguing and rushing through the woods to track him down? There was nothing to indicate what had happened.
Not as swift as his wife, Stoick followed, not far behind her. His mind lingered on Hiccup's possible escape. He knew his son would figure something out, Hiccup usually did. Though, part of him had been worrying that he was making the wrong call. What if Hiccup hadn't come up with a plan for escape? What if he was killed, because Stoick had decided the best chance to save him, was to wait, as opposed to going in to attack. There had been so many unknowns, and if they'd had more people, he wouldn't have hesitated to attack. However, it was just him and his wife, against four cruel and vicious people. And Stoick just knew, if he and Valka had gone in to attack, Ryker would have gone straight for Hiccup, not even bothering with them. Hiccup could've been killed. No, Stoick was sure waiting had been the best option. If Hiccup hadn't come up with an escape, then he would have altered his plan, he'd have come up with something. Luckily, that wasn't the case. Hiccup was smart, he'd figured out how to get away. Now, Stoick only hoped that Hiccup had managed to find a place to hide, that he was safe. He dreaded hearing the sound of Hiccup's cries, breaking the eerie silence that had overtaken the woods.
Valka came to a sudden halt as they came to a worn path, Stoick slowing behind her. They had descended the steep hill and cut across the woods, hoping to cross paths with an escaping Hiccup, or to find him nearby.
"Hiccup?" Valka said softly. No one answered. "Hiccup?"
"His leg was hurting him, maybe he hasn't made it this far yet." Stoick suggested. "He could have found a place to hide, closer to the Grimborns. It could have been his only choice."
"But what if he made it past this point? He could be further that way." Valka pointed in the opposite direction of the Grimborns' burned down house.
"He was limping, right?" Stoick remembered seeing the limping form of their son, running away from where he'd been tied up, next to the campfire. "There are no drag marks on the ground."
Valka looked down, considering.
"Alright." Valka agreed. "We go back toward the house, if we don't come across any signs of him, we'll have to come back out this way."
The couple stayed off the path, in the trees and in the long grass, and hopefully out of sight. It occurred to both of them, that Hiccup could have been doing the same thing, and that would explain the lack of drag marks in the ground.
As they neared the clearing around the burned down house, Valka gripped her staff tighter. They had called for Hiccup, albeit quietly, along the way, and still hadn't come across him. It was starting to seem like Hiccup hadn't managed to get away.
Not far ahead was the dying flame of the torch they knew Ullr had been carrying. It was on the ground up ahead, useless as dawn started to approach and the sky grew pale. Both Hiccup and Ullr were no where to be seen.
Stoick and Valka exchanged worried glances. Hiccup must have gotten away, and Ullr pursued.
"Where are the other Grimborns?" Valka asked quietly, and they both looked to the distant campfire. It didn't look like anyone was near it.
"Let's go." Stoick put a hand on his wife's back and led her away and back the way they'd come. "We need to find Hiccup before they do."
They didn't make it that far before Valka gasped in pain and put a hand to her cheek. Stoick reacted immediately, putting himself in front of his wife and drawing Hiccup's dagger, the only weapon he had.
Valka pulled her hand away from her face, feeling a wetness on her fingers, and seeing the dark stain of blood. It had to have been Ullr. An arrow had narrowly missed her, slicing her cheek as it whizzed by— and Valka was sure Ullr had missed on purpose, to scare them.
"Where's Hiccup?" Ryker's voice sounded from their right, somewhere in the trees.
Neither Stoick or Valka said anything, nor did they move. Ullr was out there with a bow and arrow, and the warning had been clear— move or attack, and the next arrow wouldn't miss.
"You helped him to escape, where is he?" Ryker walked out of the shadows, his wife not far behind him. Katla appeared from the shadows as well, to the left of Stoick and Valka, flanking them. Though, she looked more worried and less crazy this time.
"Helped him escape?" Valka questioned, not understanding. They hadn't helped Hiccup yet, much to her own shame.
A flash of anger crossed Ryker's face at Valka's real confusion. Understanding seemed to dawn on him, but it quickly turned back to his previous fury.
"Ullr." Ryker growled. "Come here."
Further ahead of where Stoick and Valka had been going, Ullr appeared. He looked almost scared, and cowed. After a moment of hesitance, he lowered his bow and slowly approached his father.
Ryker slapped Ullr, hard, across the face. The atmosphere became incredibly more tense, Valka almost flinching at the display— Ullr and Katla had terrible parents.
"You lied to me." Ryker glared at his son who still had his head turned away from his father, not daring to look back at him. "You told me that they helped Hiccup to escape. That's not what happened, is it?"
When Ullr didn't say anything, Yrsa spoke up. "Answer your father."
"...no. That's not what happened." Ullr admitted quietly.
"Tell me what did happen." Ryker's voice was deep and challenging.
"...he... escaped. He escaped on my watch." Ullr had turned back to face his father, the red of his cheek visible, but he kept his gaze pointed down at the ground.
"A small, weak, injured, one-legged, young man, escaped from you?" Ryker looked at his son with disgust as he demeaned him. "You're supposed to be more capable. We trained you better than this."
"...I'm sorry." Ullr had never looked so small, Stoick and Valka almost felt bad for him, but he'd still done terrible things and they wouldn't let this lower their guard.
"Go find him."
"What?" Ullr looked up at his father in surprise.
"I said, go find him!" Ryker lost his patience, stepping forward to yell in his son's face.
"..but-" Ullr took a step back, protesting after eyeing Stoick and Valka, who were still surrounded.
"We'll take care of them. Bring Hiccup back, or don't come back at all." Ryker shoved his son aside and narrowed in on Stoick. Ullr took one look back at his father, an expression of devastation on his face, before he turned and ran.
"Don't move." Ryker warned as both Stoick and Valka looked like they wanted to go after Ullr, to protect Hiccup. He drew his sword from its sheath at his back, and tilted it toward Stoick.
"Neither of you are making it out of here." Yrsa had circled around them and now had an intricate, gaudy staff pointed at Valka. It was one of the few weapons that had survived the fire, taken from some trader who had weapons from distant places, aboard his ship of goods.
As Valka examined the staff and the way Yrsa was holding it, she determined that it wasn't the crazy woman's weapon of choice, and that would give her the upper hand. Valka raised her staff as she met Yrsa's eyes, preparing.
Stoick, now back to back with his wife, glared at Ryker, lifting Hiccup's dagger into a defensive position. The dagger was a small and precise weapon— when actually used as a weapon and not as a tool, the way Hiccup made use of it. Stoick was used to using weapons that required more force and strength behind each blow, but he could make do. He'd fight Ryker with just his fists if he had to, anything to protect Hiccup against this maniac.
Katla watched from the side, still half in the shadows, as she fidgeted with the dagger at her waist. Her parents hadn't told her what to do yet and she'd never actually been witness to their hunts before, always told to stay out of the way. She watched as her mother and Valka got into position, and as Stoick and her father lifted their weapons, in preparation to fight.
—
A/N: Thanks for reading! Sorry this chapter is late. It was a whopping 40 pages long! I ended up splitting it into two separate chapters. I also did a lot of research to make certain things more accurate. It required a lot of editing too, to get things just right. I worked very hard on this chapter, and even harder on the second part of this chapter! The Healer's Island chapters are coming to an end, I hope you're all prepared!
Next update will be Jan. 25th, and will likely be the next chapter of "Snoggletog Showdown." I know, Christmas is over... but Snoggletog is still going!
—
Silver Sentinel: Toothless finally was able to go after Hiccup. Let's hope he gets there in time! There's more to Katla than it seems. Ryker doesn't believe that his brother could be dead, he's also determined to be the one to kill him, so it's kind of wishful thinking. Hiccup thinks Viggo did die, but has to admit that he didn't actually see it happen. It is true, Viggo was sneaky and he always had a plan, he's survived plenty more things.
CalvinFujii: I'm not willing to give away all of my plans for the future of this story, but I will be doing my own version of the third movie. As promised in the summary, they will not be leaving their ancestral home on Berk and the dragons won't be leaving either. Will Grimmel make an appearance? I'd say it is very likely, but it will be very different than the third movie. As for Drago... you'll see (if you stick around and keep reading)!
gandalf nho: He does! Toothless is on his way, and he's got a good group of friends with him.
HTTYDValkyrie: Thank you! I liked Viggo too and would have liked seeing him work alongside Hiccup more often, in the show. I admit, I haven't decided yet if I'll bring him in. I could see him working into my plans for this story, well enough, but it also seems a bit incredible for him to survive, again, when his brother also managed to survive. The Grimborns just won't stay dead, will they? Haha.
KinglyRoom59363: Katla is more complex than she seems.
1529: I think we both have very different understandings of Hiccup's character. I have analyzed his character very thoroughly, in order to write him, and I can see how he could have progressed to where he is in HTTYD2. I disagree, Hiccup wasn't stupid in the second movie. We have this character who was an outcast amongst his own people, then was accepted for one act— initiating peace between Vikings and dragons. Hiccup didn't change like everyone wanted him to, he was just suddenly accepted. He spent so much of his life trying to be something he's not and being looked down on, that doesn't just go away. Hiccup doesn't ever bring it up, but his past is still very much a part of him. To me, it seems like he has pushed all of that aside, buried it deep down. He's "moved on," in a sense, but everything is just lingering below the surface. He didn't confront those feelings, or bring it up with anyone else. Why would he? He was finally accepted, he gained friends, and his father's approval. The last thing Hiccup is going to want to do, is jeopardize everything he has always wanted. As time passes, it seems too late to bring up his past issues and feelings that he still hasn't gotten over, and Hiccup is the type to blame himself, thinking that it makes him weak for not getting over it by now.
So in the second movie, when Hiccup says that he doesn't know who he is, that he's still looking— I believe it. He has had five years having everything he has always wanted, after years of thinking that no one would ever want him to be the chief, because everyone thought he was useless. But now, Stoick is ready to hand over the reigns and Hiccup is having a hard time accepting that. Hiccup used to avoid his own people, going off on his own to do what he wanted, but isn't he still doing that? Only now he leaves by dragon. A lot about Hiccup still hasn't changed, so it is fair to assume that his state of mind hasn't either— he's still not wanting to jeopardize what he has, still not confronting his feelings about the past. The success that gained him acceptance, friends, and his father's approval, was when he went against everything he was taught, and befriended a dragon. The dragons he was taught were their enemies, weren't like that. Then, in the shows, Hiccup continues to befriend his enemies— Alvin, Dagur, Viggo... Some of his enemies remained his enemies, but it can't be said that Hiccup immediately resorted to war and violence.
When Drago's name is said and Stoick realizes who they are dealing with, he doesn't take the time to explain to Hiccup what is going on, he mentions war and he starts to close off the island. Of course Hiccup isn't going to accept that, diving straight into war without another thought— that isn't who he is or what has worked for him in the past. Hiccup learns his lesson, though, very painfully. He was naive, but he is only twenty. He's young, he's allowed to make mistakes. If the Hiccup I write is anything like the Hiccup in the movie, then I have successfully analyzed his character and portrayed him the way he is. In my story, Hiccup is still learning, he's growing. Will he be young and innocent forever? No, but one does not just become smart about everything without making mistakes and learning from them. Is being kind-hearted a flaw that makes you stupid? I don't think so, and Hiccup wouldn't be himself if he decided to kill and wage war without first asking himself if there is an alternative.
By the end of the second movie, Hiccup is dealing with a lot, and on top of everything is the inclusion of his mother. All those buried feelings are still there— and that is where I really start with my story. Hiccup has been through a war, learned a valuable lesson, and is dealing with things and trying to keep those buried feelings where he wants them— deep down inside. However, all it is going to take, is something big to trigger everything, to make it all come back in an overwhelming wave of emotions that he doesn't know how to handle. With it comes the mixed feelings of his mother still being alive. He's happy to have her in his life, but she did abandon him. All the things he used to feel with his formerly negligent father are coming back, but are coming from his mother. That's two parents who failed him. It is one thing for Hiccup to get over the way his father used to treat him, but to then realize that his mother did it too. Someone without a strong sense of self-esteem, like Hiccup, is going to wonder if he is actually the problem, and we all know that Hiccup hasn't always thought very highly about himself.
However, it isn't just his parents who have failed him, his friends didn't used to treat him well too— and that was also never addressed or taken care of. In the shows, his friends often say careless things in the name of comedy, they don't always listen, they go behind Hiccup's back and do what they want. Hiccup always brushes it off, and when he gets after them, he always feels bad about it— putting the blame on himself. There is something there that also needs to be addressed, and it is about time, too. All these things are converging, and Hiccup is having a hard time handling it, and he finally breaks. Being mistreated for a good portion of his life, when he was just a child— that doesn't just go away, it will affect him for the rest of his life. It will affect how he sees himself, how he thinks other people see him, and his trust in others.
In my story, Hiccup is finally facing all of his past feelings and trying to come to terms with them. It isn't stupid to have feelings. If Hiccup's feelings sometimes get the better of him, it is okay. He's learning to handle them in a healthy way, as opposed to letting them eat at him over time. He has to fall before he can pick himself back up, and grow. It isn't stupid of Hiccup to give someone a chance to do what is right, either, so long as he remembers the lessons he has learned in the past. It also isn't stupid for Hiccup to succumb to his physical pains, and if they affect his actions, there isn't much he can do about that. By the end of this, Hiccup will come out stronger than before. These chapters are more about Hiccup's character development than anything, as he faces things he has been ignoring for years. If you find it hard to read, remember that no one is forcing you to continue reading.
CHSHiccstrid: Toothless is on the way! And... Hiccup is injured again. Are you proud of Hiccup, for choosing to believe in his parents' love, instead of beating himself up? Our little Hiccup is learning and growing. The bad guys are much more interesting when they have a backstory. I'm not sure about Viggo, but I would enjoy bringing him in. The Healer's Island chapters will be coming to an end soon, but the story is far from over! I intend to take this story all the way through my own version of the third movie.
KN Hudson: If you think that cliffhanger was evil, prepare yourself. Haha. Toothless seems to be very tuned in to Hiccup, and he was desperate to get to him. Luckily, Astrid couldn't stop thinking about Toothless' behavior, and decided to go with him in search of the Haddocks. There is more about Katla to come. I agree, having Ryker and Yrsa as parents would be the worst! Things are much happier in "Snoggletog Showdown," that's true, so at least we know that Hiccup and his parents get a happy ending (for a while). Viggo... may be alive, I don't know. Yes, poor Stoick and Valka, agonizing over Hiccup's situation. They do feel so bad, and are so anxious to get him back.
Romantica 543: Hello again! Thanks for being a consistent reviewer, I always look forward to your feedback. Katla can be crazy, but look at who her family is. Hiccup does have hope that Katla can change, but he isn't betting his life on it, he's still taking action for himself. I feel bad for Stoick and Valka, too. They feel so helpless, and they want to save Hiccup more than anything.
corbinace: You have a good imagination, and ideas. Katla and Ullr dug up a cache of goods, that the traders Ullr killed, had buried on the island.
Ysabelle Anne R. Inoncillo: Hiccup does have injuries, and now he has more. I like hurt/comfort stories with Hiccup, so I don't think it is wrong at all to want more of it! Here's the update, at long last! I hope you enjoy it!
