Against All Odds - Hiccup X Reader

Chapter 9 - Traitor

Hoping my fathers meeting has ended, I knock on his office door once again. This time, he answers.

"Hello." I greet him while I walk through the door. He clears his throat.
"Interesting meeting this morning, huh?" I bring attention to the topic we would otherwise ignore while closing the door behind me.

"Yes." he cuts short. I see he doesn't want to discuss it; so I change the topic. "Earlier, I wanted to ask you why we changed routes. Ryker didn't sound happy to answer me.

"I have far too many injured dragons to make a profit from. We're headed to the closest camp with a healer." He summarises.

"Why now though, why the sudden change?" I question, still hoping that he isn't aware of my part in the latest injured dragon.

"A dragon was injured last night. That makes five in the last season! Auction island will not stand such irresponsible dragon-keeping." He explains, but mentions nothing about me.

"I see." I try to sound at least a little bit empathetic.
I have to think of another question, because why would the change of routes be so crucial to me that I bother father twice about it? I need to play it safe and cool.

"And... what type of dragon are you going to release for me and Heather to catch?" I stutter.

"Wait and see. All good things come in time." He smiles, proud of himself, although his answer annoys me.

"That makes sense." I mutter, making sure I don't sound annoyed and piss my father off. I thank him bitterly before leaving.

***♡***

It's finally Tuesday- the day we put the dragon-catching plan into action.
I might be a little too excited for the small job but I haven't had anything exciting outside the ship in forever.

I start training as it is something I often do, and I need to look completely normal, unaware of any plans taking place.

After some time, I spot my father with a dragon hunter discussing something rather secretively, could this be it?
This is obviously not unusual or exciting for my father, he doesn't seem to have the adrenaline rush I do.

The large hunter in red hurries down the stairs. I can feel my heart beating faster, I try to just concentrate on my training and look normal.

"Dragon!" I hear a thick Irish voisé shout. "Escaping!" He finishes his delayed sentence, pointing at a crazed, crimson Gronckle flapping his tiny wings as fast as he can to get away from the ship.
My father is doing a good job of pretending to be angry at his men, blaming them for the loss.
I watch as the hunters launch nets and arrows at the Gronckle, have they been ordered to miss intentionally or are they this genuinely bad at their job?

"Heather! Fetch your dragon, we're going after it!" Ryker roars. Now that's a complication I hadn't considered...

"Brother, the dragon cannot handle two people, especially not a man of your size." My father steps in.

"Are ye callin' me fa-" Just as my uncle is about to confront my father, Dagur interrupts him, suggesting that I should go instead since I'm the smallest one. I get what he means, I'm a teenage girl in the midst of middle-aged, muscly hunters.

"Okay." I agree to Dagur's suggestion, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. I've never been on a dragon before...

The saddle only fits Heather, so I have to sit on the metal part by the wings which slightly hurts my bum.
Heather takes off immediately without giving me any time to process what is about to happen: I flinch in fear.

I look back at the ship, making sure that nobody saw me flinch. I lock eyes with the creepy man from the meeting, standing right by Johann. He's glaring- not so friendly this time.