Runaway reader x hiccup haddock

A painful departure

A pained groan escaped your throat, penetrating the silence around you. Your head feels like its about to explode. Blinking a few times, your hazy brown eyes scanned blankly at your surroundings. You are in a cell. How long have I been unconscious? You asked yourself.

The cell containing you was small and dusty from misuse, the metal bars brown from rust. You sat in a corner, settling to stare blankly at the ceiling, where the only small light from the moon escaped through the small cracks.

You can see your breath turning to fog in the cold temperature, and the cold stone wall didn't help but send a shiver throughout your body. You shivered but didn't bother to move to get more warmth, it wouldn't help anyway.

Your body was covered in cuts and bruises with dirt mixed with some of your own blood that were caused from your resistance. You were tired, sore, cold and all you wanted to do was to curl up in a ball, hoping for the realm of unconsciousness to overtake you again, to hope this was all just a horrible nightmare. But you can't, now the chaotic event kept replaying every time even when your eyes weren't closed, making it all too real to deny.

You heard the door to the building creaked open, thinking it was a guard, you closed your eyes, pretending to sleep. You're already mentally drained, you don't need a hateful guard to taunt you anymore.

To your surprise, their footsteps were quiet, like they're tiptoeing, why would a guard tiptoe?

"Y/n?" the person whispered.

"Are you awake?"

"What do you want?" You spat, spitting out as much venom in your voice as your energy allows.

You can recognize that voice anytime, anywhere, he was the reason you're here in the first place, after all

"Here to rub your 'heroism' in my face?"

Your best friend, you trusted him, you trusted him with your secret, your life, and yet he has managed to break it like it was nothing.

He sighed. "Ok, I deserve that. " You heard him mumble under his breath before coming closer.

"I want to help you."

"Help?" You scoffed and glared at him with hate.

"Haven't you helped enough?" You said as you raised your wrists that were previously laying on the ground, revealing the chains that restrained your movements.

"Yeah, I do." He said firmly, his green eyes shining with guilt and determination. He unlocked your cell using the keys that were hung on the wall close to the entrance of the prison.

He knelt in front of you, as if attempting to tame a wild animal. "The trial is tomorrow, and it will decide your fate. I heard my dad discussing it with the council men. The best they can do is banishment." He paused, looking at you with sympathy.

"And the worst?" You asked quietly, fear bubbling in your chest. "They'll force you to kill your dragon, or choose someone to kill her in front of you, after that they may still banish you, or..." He took in a deep breath. "Or execute you."

"WHAT?!!" You whisper-yelled, eyes bulged. You didn't care they would take your life, you have expected it, but ONLY your life. But no, it's worse, it's so much worse. It could involve the death of your innocent dragon, Midnight, a blue-eyed night fury, your loyal friend you have been hiding for months.

You couldn't believe your ears. How can they be so cruel? In your mind, you already knew the answer, they can. They're vikings, they can kill without mercy out of ignorance and pride, especially of a species that has been their enemy for generations and someone who sides with it.

You quickly blinked away the tears that had gathered in your eyes. You're not gonna cry, not now and definitely not in front of him.

"How do I know I can trust you? How do I know this is not just another trick, another stunt to play with my trust?" The guilt in his eyes were obvious and he looked down in shame. He shrugged after a moment of silence,"I guess you'll just have to find out."

You looked away from him and swallow the lump in your throat. You know you didn't have much of a choice. You either let him help or get a chance of watching your dragon die in front of your eyes. You quickly nodded your head and stretched your arms toward him, giving him access to the chains.

Stumbling a bit while standing up, you refused his help to steady yourself, instead using the wall as your support. You can see the hurt in his expression and you ignored it. He deserved it anyway.

"I already got Midnight, we just need to get to the woods from behind my house without being seen."

"Wait!" he turned around, confused.

Suddenly, you pulled him towards you and kneed him, hard in the stomach.

"Ouch!" He wheezed while bending over in pain.

"That's for everything." you spat after letting go of him, walking out of there without looking back.

"Ok, ok. I definitely deserved that too." He coughed as he said.

You both managed to make it out of the prison quietly and he led you towards the woods, the faint moon light as your only light source. You narrowly avoided the guards who were on patrol. Your already frail eleven-year-old body that is now covered in wounds depended on the adrenaline that is pumping through your veins.

When you finally reached the woods, you breathed a sigh of relief, you are so tired and wounded so you can't wait for all this to be over.

After seemingly hours of walking, you reached a cove. This was the place you always hid Midnight, the place you told him about her, the place you realized your crush on him. Your heart clenched as you recalled the memories you have made here, and that the chance of you making new ones may never happen again.

When your dragon sees you, she bounded towards you in happiness. You laughed as she licked you all over, covering you in saliva. "I miss you too, girl!" you hugged her snout, not caring about anything else, only relieved that you could prevent her blood being spilled and on your hands.

"Well, I guess this is where we say goodbye." He said, the first time since we have left the prison. "Yeah, I guess." It's a miracle how your voice was still even, and not wavering or cracking.

He pulled you into his arms, in which you responded hesitantly. "Be careful out there." He told you. Causing you to scoff, "Since when am I not." He knew you were right, and you didn't need to see him to know he was rolling his eyes.

You finally let go of him after a while, afraid that if you continue you won't be able to let go, that you'll stay in his arms forever, that you'll not be able to leave.

Midnight must have sensed what is happening, because she came forward to give him a lick in the face. He chuckled and hugged her snout. "Im gonna miss you, Night. Please make sure to take care of her for me." She cooed and nodded, as if she understood.

You sniffled before mounting Midnight. "Goodbye Y/n. And good luck." He bidded. You smiled and nodded, not trusting your voice anymore.

The last thing you hear was the flap of Midnight's wings before you take off into the night. Knowing that this is the last time you are gonna see him in a long time. Looking back at your home of 11 years, you finally broke down, allowing the salty tears to run down your cheeks.

"Goodbye, Berk." you whispered.

"Goodbye, Hiccup."