Viggo's POV
It had been hours now that Ann was taken away from me and Ryker had beaten me up like this. The blood on my body had dried out and with some spit, I could wash most of them away. Ow, how much I missed my Ann. I just hope Ryker has been good to her and had mercy on her. I just don't want my unborn child to be in life danger already.
In the hours that I was stuck in this miserable place, some men had probably turned my tent inside-out. I could hear how they got through my documents, taking my personal belongings and that of Ann, and lastly throwing all the furniture over to find something they were probably looking for. But they will not find it up in my office. I have it perfectly hidden in my tunic. I could hear the men talk about Ryker's plan and I have to say, it is typically something for him to come up with something that simple.
When the men had left and peace and quiet returned to this place, I could get to think over the last few months to two years. The moment I met Hiccup and where things were about to turn around for the Hunter tribe. Ryker was right. I have been making so many mistakes!
I was more focussed to besting Hiccup than look after my people and my wife. The fights I had with her were all caused by me. That made me so upset that I started crying again. I remember the words Ann spoke to me when I let my emotions go for the first time in ages.
"When there is something on your heart that can only flow away through the tears, then let it go. There is no shame in that."
Her sweet voice echoed through my head, making me miss her more. However, her sweet voice faded away when I was shaken out of my thoughts. I heard dragon roars and people talking to each other. Those voices were familiar. Please Thor, let this be my saving moment.
"Ah! What is it going to take to catch this guy?" The most familiar voice I could imagine was right here in my tent and just kicked over my desk?! He must've notice my hiding pit when a Maces and Talons game pieces fell on the door above me.
It took him a few more seconds to see what was in this dreadful pit. He opened the door and had his dragon almost blast my head off. "Wow, hold your fire!" He told his dragon as I shielded the light coming in that burned in my eyes. I was so relieved someone found me that I spoke up in urgent desperation. "I never imagined that these words would come out of this mouth, but... My dear Hiccup, I'm overjoyed to see you." Hiccup gestured his dragon to get me out of the pit and he gave me a chair to regain my strength to speak.
After all the Riders had collected in my tent, I had plenty of time to get my strength up so I could speak to them and answer their questions. Well, most of them. I bet the boy would start about the Dragon Eye again. That is safely hidden. "What happened here? Viggo, where is the Dragon Eye?" Hiccup spoke up. Told you.
As I was preparing myself to answer something that would divert him from the original hiding place, Stoick stamped in like a pack of Rumblehorns would do, grabbed me by the throat and held me into the air. He was obviously furious at me. "You come after my son. You come after my home. Now, you get to deal with me!" His grip was like Ryker's and I struggled to breathe.
Luckily Hiccup stood up for me and brought his crazy father to different plans with me. He let me drop back into the chair and I gasped for air before I could finally speak up my mind. "Ryker has lost all sense of reason. He's on his own and unfortunately managed to sway the soft minds of the Dragon Hunters. My brother has turned them against their leader." I looked down to the ground and realized I didn't want to call him my brother anymore, but that was the only way I could make clear to those fools who I meant. The twins were their usual self for as far as I can remember and talked nonsense out of their mouths. I continued my explanation to Hiccup.
"Ryker's plan, as simple minded as it is, is to wipe out the Riders and all your allies." Hiccup stuttered a bit as he tried to tell me they were left undefeated in catching the 'bad guys'. "H-How is that any different from any other bad guy we've ever dealt with?" "And defeated!" The big guy said like he had just beaten the whole world. I kept on going to warn Hiccup about the dangers ahead.
"The difference, my dear Hiccup, is Project Shellfire. You two remember that, don't you?" I turned to the twins who suddenly came too close into my personal space. "Just remember. If Viggo, you go." The girl pointed towards me and backed off, only to allow her brother to come face-to-face with me. "That's right. Today's your turn to burn and we're the torches with fire that burns!" I have to say that this was the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. "I'm sorry. Did I miss something?" I asked Hiccup.
The boy talked to the twins before turning his gaze and attention back to me. "Tell me what project Shellfire is. We know it's some sort of weapon. Is it a boat? A dragon?" He just simply guessed there and I had to bite back a chuckle.
"In due time, I will divulge all. Project Shellfire, the location of the Dragon Eye. But only if you help me stop my brother and send me on my way." I tried to convince Hiccup to let me go and get my wife back. The annoying boy resisted to it and told the others I was a liar. The big guy agreed with him and told Hiccup they couldn't trust me. Ow well, I can't say anything else for what I've done to hunt them down.
"Agreed. Trusting me is, shall we say, a stretch. Therefore, as a show of good faith, I will tell you where and when my brother will strike next. Give you time to save some of your allies, which he systematically intends to destroy." That gave the Riders something to think about as I continued on explaining Ryker's plan.
"The next attack is on the Defenders of the Wing. This will be followed by the Outcasts, Berserkers and Berk itself, in no particular order. While Ryker is no tactical genius, he still manages to hold some things close to the vest." Once I had said that, they all turned their backs on me and left my tent.
In one last attempt, I called after Hiccup to make him hurry on his decisions. "Time is of the essence Hiccup. It is the ability to make expeditious decisions that saves lives." The tent fell shut and that gave me some privacy to wipe off the dust.
After Hiccup had his talks with the others, he came back to me and told me we were leaving to the Defenders of the Wing Island. "Hiccup, before we go to that island, we must search for my Ann first." "What? What do you mean?" He was rather startled from what I said. "Haven't you noticed she is not here? Ryker took her away from me when he did all of this to me. He threw me in that pit and tried to tare Ann and me apart!"
I stood up when I suddenly felt a stinging pain in my leg. "Viggo, sit down. Ryker has really done that? How can someone be so weak to take a woman away from her lover?" "Don't ask me, but Ryker." I hissed in complete pain and frustration.
Hiccup helped me get on his dragon and we flew off to the sky. I looked all over the island behind us for my own dragon, but he seemed to have abandoned the place when Ryker's men were stepping up to me. "Viggo, what is it?" I heard Hiccup ask me and that startled me out of my thoughts. "I'm just worried about Ann. That's all."
The star skies above us didn't help either as it made me remind the amazing nights I've spent with her watching them. How we always talk to each other on the amazing views, the falling stars we've seen, and many wishes we made, how we pointed out the constellations and watched the moon shine through the complete darkness. I let my head down as I kept on thinking about her for more than half of the journey.
It had become awfully quiet, no one had spoken in hours. We were all focused on the horizon ahead of us until some familiar noises came from my left side. It was weak, but kept on going nonetheless. It was a roar.
"What is that sound?" Astrid asked the others while we hovered in the sky. "Toothless." Hiccup said to his dragon who roared and got a reply from his echolocation. I knew that sound all too well. Hiccup's dragon dove down to land on a small sandbank and I quickly jumped off.
I saw a silhouette in the darkness and ran towards it. I kneeled down and turned her head to face mine. "Ann!" I was so afraid she would not be among the living anymore that my hands were shaking. I let out the biggest sigh of relieve as I heard her soft voice speak up to me. "Viggo? Is that you?" "Oh, thank Thor!" I held her in my arms, only to feel how freezing cold she was.
"Viggo, we don't have much time. We have to move on." Hiccup insisted in going back to the journey we were making, but I just couldn't let Ann suffer the bitter cold again. "Hiccup, Ann is freezing cold. She will not be able to fly with us until she has warmed up." Astrid and Fishlegs came standing beside me and felt how cold she was.
Her pale skin made me worry about her even more. "He's right. She will not be able to travel with us." Fishlegs told Hiccup. Fortunately, Hiccup understood the urge of the situation and he got all the warm stuff he had out of his saddleback. Holding her against me, I tried to give her as much warmth through my own body heat. The way she crawled against me, showed me how desperate she had become. Her blueish lips made me worried sick, a sign of hypothermia.
The dragons had made a fire and the Gronckle had made a hot pool of lava next to her, giving Ann most chance of taking in as much heat as possible. I was so focused on her, that I didn't notice Astrid talking to me. She bumped my arm to gain my attention. "Hey, you seem to be pretty worried about her." "I am and it is my duty to be. Not only she is in danger, but also..." I couldn't hold back the thoughts that my child was in danger after all.
I simply laid my hand on her belly to feel any movements of the baby inside. "She is pregnant again?" I could hear some astonishment in her voice. "Yes, and I admit that it is mine." I kept on looking at Ann as she was fast asleep. "But what about her other child? The one she had with her husband?" She asked me.
"She was never married before. That, too, was my child, but she passed away ten days after birth." I admitted to her even though I hated it. I will always miss my little Valkyrie.
Astrid held her hand on my arm again to show me signs of support. "If you need anything, just call me. Okay?" She offered and I nodded thankfully at her.
I decided I had enough of today and laid my head next to Ann's, closing my eyes and hoped for some good sleep after all these happenings. I knew tomorrow was going to be another difficult day.
When I opened my eyes, I saw that Ann felt better. She felt warmer and I, a whole lot calmer. She was back with me and safe. She embraced me tightly as she realized what happened after we found her and I could tell she was beyond relieved to be back at my side.
I raised her chin so we had eye contact and asked her about Ryker. "What did he do to you?" "I was so stressed that he took me away from you that I couldn't stop crying. I was scared and he wanted to keep me away from you as you were the one that brought us in danger. Or that's what he said." "Why would I ever put us in danger?" "I don't know. Probably after all what had happened between us, has created some crazy ideas in his mind." She turned her face towards me and came so close. Our lips were just hovering above each other and desperate for each other. I couldn't hold back and kissed her. We kissed until...
"Ahum..." Hiccup cleared his throat as he and all others were looking at us. "Can't I have a moment of privacy with her?" I just wished I could let us or them disappear, so I would be alone with my wife. "I'm sorry, Viggo. But we have to go now. Sun is almost rising. How is she doing?" "I'm doing fine now." I heard her say a bit sarcastically and I had to hold my laugh. Hiccup's face was priceless. We stood up and walked over to their dragons. Still, I was a bit concerned about her and the baby. Hiccup came to me and led me back towards his dragon.
Once mounted, Hiccup turned around to reassure me something that weighed heavy on my heart. "Don't worry, Viggo. I bet she and your child will be okay. From what I know from her, she is a tough one." "She is." I said before turning my head around to see Ann hold on to Astrid with all the strength she had in her arms. She made me smile whenever danger was ahead of us. "She is..." I spoke a bit softer before we took off.
Ann's POV
As we were in the air, I just felt free again. Not being imprisoned behind those scary bars and smelling the awful scent of torture and urine all around. Those guards were disgusting bastards, doing their business wherever they wanted. It made me feel sick more than once. I was just so worried about Havòk. Viggo must've noticed me think about him as he asked me about it. "What's wrong, Ann?"
It startled me from my thoughts and I just wondered what I could say without making him more worried than he already is. "Ann..." He looked at me and I knew he wanted me to tell him everything, no matter how hard it was to take in. "When Ryker had me in the cells, I found Havòk there as well. He had been there when the men chose Ryker as their new chief and ambushed him. The men wanted to prevent him from telling us about this coup." A tear welled up in my eye.
"Is he.." "Still there? Yes. We have to get him out of there before something bad happens." Viggo looked down to the ocean before he asked me another thing. "What did Ryker do when he let you go? Or did you escape?" "I couldn't escape from there. Ryker had guards everywhere at any time of the day. No moment went by without a guard having an eye on us. And when Ryker let me go, he wanted to convince me that there was nowhere to go. When he realized that I didn't want to stay any longer, he pushed me into the ice cold water and left me to almost drown. If it weren't for a Seashocker that brought me to that sandbank, I would've been..." Tears were escaping from my eyes and everyone listened to my story.
All were shocked and I could see rage boil up in Viggo's eyes. "If we find my 'brother', then I will take him on. He will not get away with doing this to you and our child!" Everyone was a bit shocked by his reaction, but it was totally understandable. Of course Viggo wants to protect and avenge me for what Ryker had done to me, but there was nothing we could do right now. He was gone, no one would know where he would be right now.
After a few hours of flying, we got to the Defenders of the Wing Island. When I got off Stormfly, I quickly got to Viggo and held him by his arm. He pulled me into a hug I desperately needed and assured me that we were going to be fine. "Nobody will harm us here."
He lifted my chin and kissed me just before he was taken as a prisoner and was taken away by a man with a ponytail. Hiccup pleaded Mala to keep me with Viggo and she allowed us to. I was taken to the same cell as Viggo was brought to and that man helped me get in. Lowering me in wasn't the easiest there was. This cell was obviously not designed to hold a pregnant woman.
Viggo held me tight as I was back in his arms. "I'm scared." I whispered to him and he agreed to it. "I know, me too, but we have to keep up the faith that we are going to get out of here. Alive and well. Once this war is over, I promise you, I will retreat together with you, go back to Muzona and live a happy life with you. I want our child to be safe and be raised in safety." He smiled at me, lifted my chin once more and kissed me deeply. The kiss what had been interrupted by Hiccup.
A few hours went by and he kept on checking if I was fine and the baby as well. "Viggo." I laughed when he asked me for the third time in twenty minutes. "Sorry. I just can't help myself. I want you and the little one to be alright." He sat down next to me and held his arm around me. I leaned my head in onto his shoulder and he supported his head on mine. "I'm okay as long as I'm with you." I told him. The moment wasn't very long though. We heard explosions on the island.
Looking up and seeing one of the fire balls land not so far away from us, Viggo knew what was going on. "Shellfire." I immediately got to him in fear and he took me in his protective arms. "It's going to be alright, my beautiful blossom. Don't be afraid." I could hear panic break out above us, as the whole village was taken under siege. "He's coming to hunt me down." Viggo spoke to me and that scared me so much. How could someone want to kill his own family?
Viggo spoke up to Hiccup, who was not far from our cell. "Do you believe me now, Hiccup?" Viggo just finished talking when one of those fire balls landed on the lock of our cell. Viggo shielded us from the debris falling down through the holes in the door and made sure I was fine. "I'm okay. Just scared." "I know, and I am as well, but this is our only chance to get out now." He looked me deeply in the eyes as I didn't get what he meant.
"You want to do what?" I asked him in complete shock. "We have to get out of here, now. The lock has been shot to pieces and we can open it now." He lifted me up, so I could push the door open.
With all my strength I had, I created us a way out and climbed on the land. Viggo didn't need help from me as he jumped and pulled himself up. We smiled at each other before we were pulled out of our thoughts by another incoming fire ball. "Move!" Viggo yelled at me and we looked for cover in the woods. We found a dragon that could bring us away from this place undetected as the Riders seemed to be too busy with getting towards the Shellfire dragon.
We flew for some time before the dragon decided to land on an island to rest and then leave us. "So, now we are stuck here." I concluded and got to Viggo. He had a fire ready and was looking for something to eat. "You just stay here and rest. I don't think there is much out here." He kissed my cheek before he left.
He got back with one fish and a down face. "What is it?" "I couldn't find anything more. I'll cook it and then you can have it." He started preparing the fish when I held on to his hand. "We share. Pregnant or not, I don't want you to suffer from hunger." He smiled at me and continued his preparations.
We had some sort of dinner and cuddled up together, watching the stars above us. That until I heard a dragon approach not far from us. It was Hiccup's dragon. That sound was one not to be mistaken. We got up and walked up to Hiccup sitting on the edge of the cliff with the ocean below him.
His dragon came by his side to cuddle and comfort the boy. "Looks peaceful, doesn't it?" Hiccup talked to his dragon. "I always have a gut feeling for something to do. But this time..." He sounded rather down and stressed. We came out of the shadows and Viggo spoke up to him. "Perhaps I can help?" We stood there watching how they reacted to us. "I hope you didn't think I'd leave you hanging in the wind. I'm nothing, if not a man of my word, Hiccup." Viggo said in pure honesty.
Hiccup and his dragon immediately turned around to face us. His dragon growling at us, as Viggo continued and walked a little closer to him. "Let me guess. Ryker told you that I was the one who went rogue. I figured as much. Probably offered you peace and the Dragon Eye, neither of which he is either willing or able to give." "Oh and you are?" Hiccup questioned Viggo and he just stepped closer again, causing the dragon to prepare to blast us to bits.
"As I said, my dear Hiccup, you help me stop my brother and I'll give you what you desire." "Which is exactly what he said. Almost to the word." "But he conveniently couldn't produce it, could he?" "But you can?" Hiccup asked him again.
That made Viggo frown his eyebrows and looked through his pockets. Hiccup thought that Viggo wasn't able to do it, but was proven wrong. "Yeah, that's just what I..." Hiccup's eyes went bewildered as he saw Viggo hold the Dragon Eye up. "...thought." "Now, when will Ryker be arriving?" "Eh... I.. In the morning."
We walked closer to Hiccup and his dragon who kept on growling at us. I stayed behind Viggo to find his protection. I was still so terrified. "Rest assured. The Shellfire will be with him." Hiccup tried to grab the Dragon Eye out of Viggo's hand, but Viggo held it back. "Uh-uh, whatever we're going to do, Hiccup, we must do it together." Hiccup gave us an admitting look before Viggo handed the thing over.
"Okay, before we decide anything else. You are coming back with me. I will not let you out of my eyes again." Hiccup sounded angry again. "There is no way your dragon can carry all of us and therefor, I suggest you lend Ann your saddle and we will walk back to your base." Viggo suggested and Hiccup agreed. I mounted the dragon and we were on our way back to the Edge.
As soon as we got back, Hiccup offered me his bed so I could get some rest. I fell asleep straight away.