FORTY-NINE: King and Princess
Astrid was quiet. Hiccup had seen Astrid quiet before-when angry, when hurt, when thinking, when practising and when asleep. Though sleeping Astrid was completely adorable and melted his heart as she snuggled against him...but this was not one of those Astrids. Apart from angry Astrid-who was scarier than anything he knew, save Angry Stoick-he was familiar with all of them and knew this wasn't one he knew. And that worried him because he loved her with all his heart and he knew she was hurt beyond words. Her eyes locked, her brow furrowed and hands tight on the saddle with her axe slung across her back, this was Valkyrie Astrid, the vengeful warrior-daughter and Chief and utterly enraged mother who was heading to find her daughter.
They were flying fast and hard towards Berserk with Mala sitting behind Snotlout as they arrowed at top speed towards Berserk. The night was fading fast and they were not that far from sighting the island but Hiccup's mind was racing at what he had learned. The King of Dragons was astonishingly powerful and would enable Johann to command all dragons if it fell into his power. And Hiccup knew it was his duty to stop Johann and Krogan...by whatever mean were necessary. But in doing that, he left his daughter at the mercy of the evil man and he had to hope that Astrid would save her when the battle grew fierce.
The sun was rising behind them and the island was jutting against the blue morning sky, the armada already attacking. They could see Johann's fleet closing fast and the unmistakeable shapes of the Singetails and their Fliers accelerating forward to rain fire and fury down onto the Berserker village...but Hiccup knew what Krogan did not. And he felt his lips curl in a smile of triumph at the sight of the Singetails almost reaching the shore of Berserk-and then, as one, roaring protests and baulking, backing away and hovering but refusing the travel one wingbeat forward over the island.
"No dragons will fly over Berserk," Hiccup murmured to Toothless, resting his left hand flat on the Night Fury's head. "Not even you, bud. I wish you would tell me why...though I suspect that the King of Dragons prevents it to conceal himself from unwanted attention." He smiled. "I can't see Krogan giving up that easily...so let's go and give him a surprise!" And they pulled ahead, circling round the back of the island and accelerating up behind the peak of Berserk, awaiting Krogan, who Hiccup was sure would try to fly over the unseen King's influence. He could hear the thud of catapults and the roars of the Berserkers as they took advantage of the confusion over the Singetails' refusal to fly at Berserk. Dagur would know that secret and Hiccup was sure his friend would have exploited that tiny window to bring the firepower of the Berserker defences against the invaders.
And then Toothless crooned. The roars were dying down but the sounds of Singetails had come closer and he could hear Krogan yelling as they flew upwards, skirting the influence that denied them the skies until the Singetails drew level with the peak of Berserk.
And then Toothless came screaming in from the sun, plasma blasts bracketing the Fliers and slamming two back. Krogan barely evaded one aimed straight at his head and Hiccup leaned low over the Night Fury, swooping round fast and accurate, his eyes locked on the attackers.
"KROGAN! This ends now!" he shouted as Toothless fired again at the Fliers. Astrid took out a couple more and the twins swathed Krogan in Zippleback gas, causing him to spin away as the cloud ignited, singeing his hair and eyebrows. But as he righted himself, he found the dragons surrounding him-not just the Riders but Cami as well as Spitelout and Gustav, who had just arrived from Berk in response to a Terror Mail Hiccup had sent from Defenders' Isle. The evil man looked round, his face twisted in rage and shock-and then they dived away, heading back towards the armada to the cheers of the Berserkers and especially Dagur and Heather. But as Hiccup watched them retreat, he knew this was only round one.
As soon as they landed on the promontory at the very edge of the island, where the Dragon stables were sited, Mala leapt down and raced into Dagur's arms, embracing her betrothed with all the passion Hiccup felt for Astrid. It reminded him how far his friend had come, in loving another and being able to be loved-a world away from the amoral psychopathic murderer he had been. He smiled as he unclipped his leg from the saddle and slowly stood up. He knew the respite would be brief and he grabbed his spyglass, scanning the horizon and trying to work out where the next attack would come from. Heather walked forward, hugging Astrid and then looking at the auburn-haired Viking.
"I don't understand why we're bring attacked," she said in a puzzled voice. "I thought they were after the King of Dragons!" Hiccup frowned, his eyes focussed on the horizon.
"They are," he confirmed, turning to face her and seeing her green eyes widen in shock.
"Here?"
"And I'm guessing it's beneath the island," Hiccup told her firmly. "That's why dragons can't fly here!"
"It's a defence mechanism," Fishlegs guessed.
"Exactly!" Hiccup agreed. "He has the ability to control the minds of other dragons."
"No wonder Krogan and Johann want him so badly," Astrid admitted, walking to her husband's side.
"The King of Dragons is a Berserker!" Dagur announced with a huge grin. "Ha! Makes perfect sense to me! What else would he be?"
"Uncle Fenris!" Tuff butted in. "That's what! It MUST be him!" Everyone stared at the random comment.
"Er...what?" Dagur asked. "What are you talking about? What are they talking about?" Astrid face-palmed.
"Our great-uncle on our mother's side..." Tuff began.
"Fenris Thorston," Ruff explained.
"Fenris Sulfur Thorston, be exact," Tuff clarified. "He went missing when we were kids. His name literally means down below!" Astrid snorted.
"Can I ask a question?" she asked in an exasperated voice, stomping forward and glaring at the twins. They shrugged.
"Go ahead," Ruff said uninterestedly.
"Why do you keep making up these family members?" she snapped, stepping forward to glare almost nose-to-nose with the twins. "It's NOT your Uncle Fenris under the island-it's the KING OF DRAGONS!"
"Is that what you would have us do?" Tuff snapped back. "Take away our creative minds and make us like the rest of you simpletons?" Astrid glared even more fiercely, her fists bunched. "Okay-fine! We'll try it your way," he conceded and walked to stand by Ruff. "What do you think Johann's doing right now, sis?" he asked. She glanced over her shoulder.
"I think he'd send a second fleet to attack from the south as the first re-engages from the north," she said simply as Tuff gasped.
"Why would you say that?" he asked her. She rolled her eyes and gestured in the direction she was looking.
"Because that's what they're doing," she said. "That is them, isn't it?" Hiccup raced to the crest of the rise and stared.
"What the...?" he gasped as he saw a whole squad of Johann's hunters racing across the grass. "Oh Thor..." More ships were sailing at speed at the docks, clearly aiming to ram them and disgorge Johann's army onto the island.
"You see what happens when we get real?" Tuff challenged them smugly. "Things get real!"
Below them, the ships were firing on the village and though the Berserker village and walls were made of stone, houses were starting to collapse and casualties were beginning to mount.
"Those are our people down there!" Dagur exclaimed, his brows dipping in fury.
"We'd rather die in battle than hide in shame!" Heather added, snapping her double-ended axe open. Dagur gave a Berserker roar.
"No one's hiding," Hiccup told them, walking forward. "And no one's going to stay here either. But our chances of survival without dragons are very slim, to say the least."
"Aye, that it is," Spitelout said, staring down at the carnage. "A decision would be helpful right about now!" Snotlout nodded.
"Nobody panic," Hiccup said, thinking hard.
"We have to stay strong," Dagur told him, grabbing his arm. "Fight!"
A strange shrieking echoed through the island and Hiccup's head snapped up in shock as Atali and a flight of Wing Maidens arrowed down, attacking the invading hunters and driving them back into the sea. Snotlout waved at a dark-haired Wing Maiden, Minden.
"That's my girl!" he called as she smiled.
"That's Wing Maiden to you, Snotlout!" she replied with a grin.
"Wingnut!" Ruff shouted as Atali's baby Razorwhip turned her head and croaked a greeting. Fishlegs had explained to Hiccup and Astrid on the trip back to Berk that Ruffnut had briefly been a WingMaiden when Wingnut had bonded to her on hatching-before switching her bond to Atali. The Chief of the Wing Maidens nodded as she came round once more to land. Astrid ran forward.
"Hiccup-how did they...?" she asked as he turned to her with a small smile.
"I sent a Terror Mail from Defenders of the Wing Island," he told her, peering down onto the battle by the village. "But I wasn't sure that they would get here on time." Fishlegs, though, was very troubled.
"How do the baby Razowhips fly over the centre of the island?" he asked. Hiccup smiled.
"Maybe their senses haven't fully developed yet?" he asked.
"Or...maybe it's a window for our dragons?" Dagur suggested hopefully. Astrid arched an eyebrow.
"There's only one way to find out," she said and the Berserker siblings clanged their axes together, grinning at the prospect of battle. But as the Riders all ran for their dragons, Hiccup caught his wife's hand and stared worriedly into her face.
"Astrid-listen..." he began but she rested her hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay," she assured him. "It will be fine. We'll be fine." She stared deep into his anxious emerald eyes. "Johann and Krogan have probably got a head start. You and Toothless need to find the King of Dragons before they do-and get it to safety. If not, this war will go on forever." Her hand found his and their fingers entwined, the gentle pressure of skin on skin enough to calm him slightly...but not the fear in his stomach. "Your Dad would be so proud of you right now. I know I am. And I know if you can stop them, then we will get our daughter back and save the Archipelago." And then she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Smiling, she pulled away-but he jerked her into his arms and pressed a desperate kiss on her lips, feeling her respond against him and knowing, no matter what, she loved him. He would never fail her-and he knew between them, they could get Val safely back. She smiled, resting her hand briefly on his heart. His hand rested on hers.
"Mine belongs to you," he whispered.
"Mine is always yours, babe," she whispered back. "Take care. And you look after him, Toothless..." she added as the Night Fury paced around them, crooning at the kiss. And then, she raced away to face the other Riders as they prepared for battle. "Alright, Riders-get ready to fight as you've never fought before!" she told them, her clear blue eyes sweeping from face to anxious face. The less experienced Riders-Cami, Spitelout, Gustav-busied themselves checking their saddles as the more experienced combatants spent the last moment murmuring reassurances to their dragons and-in the case of the twins-grabbing as many weapons as they could carry. "This is OUR time-and this is where WE shine! We defend Berserk and we stop them-once and for all! WINGS UP!"
Hiccup looked up as they arrowed overhead to engage the fleet, led by the familiar blue Nadder and he smiled at her amazing determination. No matter that she was his wife, on the day he became Chief, she was the only person he would consider as his General. Anything less would be an insult to the woman he loved with all his heart. Then he turned back to Toothless.
"It's you and me now, bud," he said gently. "Let's do it!"
oOo
Deep in the caverns beneath Berserk, Johann, Krogan and half a dozen men were staking through the curiously cold caverns, walls of greenish ice lining the stone space. A freezing fog shrouded the way ahead, between two banks of green ice and peering through the mist, Krogan raised his torch and frowned. Johann folded his hands behind his back.
"A dead end," he said dryly but Krogan rested his hand on the wall facing them, feeling scales not smooth ice and he smiled as it shifted under his hand.
"Look again!" he sneered as he held the torch up and a vast exhale blew the mist away, revealing the huge shape of a white dragon amid the gloom of the cavern. The creature rose more than fifty feet above them-yet to was clear all they were seeing was an enormous head crowned by spines. Johann rubbed his eyes.
"Thor's Hammer-we're going to need a bigger cage!" he breathed as the monster opened pallid blue eyes, a cold intelligence assessing the tiny humans facing him. "You must do something, Krogan-you cannot let it get away!"
"Believe me-it's not going anywhere," Krogan vowed, his low voice devoid of any compassion.
"The spears!" Johann yelled and his men ran forward, their DragonRoot soaked spears ready to bring the creature down...but as they threw them, the majority bounced off the monster and the one that stuck in seemed to do nothing. Withdrawing, the dragon gave a massive roar that had the men scurrying back-until Krogan's sword, promising instant death if they abandoned their posts, had then returning to face the monster. Grabbing their spears, they carefully advanced as Johann peered at the last man in the group, armed with their insurance...
oOo
Closing on the fleet, Astrid glanced over her shoulder at her troops and didn't feel a flutter of fear. This was battle-what she had trained for since she was a tiny girl of four-and the stakes were the highest: the fate of dragon kind and the freedom of the Vikings of the Archipelago. And she knew that she could win.
"Dagur, Heather, Ruff and Tuff-engage with the Wingmaidens and full frontal attack!" she ordered. Dagur chuckled for Mala was riding behind him.
"An engagement for our engagement," he quipped as she pecked a little kiss on his cheek. "I like it!"
"Nothing like a full frontal attack to kick the day into high gear!" Tuff commented. Ruff grinned and they fist-bumped.
"I'm with you, brother!" she agreed. Heather pulled alongside the Berserker Chief, grinning.
"And I'm with you-brother!" she assured him.
"Spitelout, Snotlout, Gustav-you outflank them on the Northern side-and then squeeze!" Astrid commanded. The Jorgensens and Snotlout's protege grinned and the stocky rider grinned.
"We'll squeeze them alright!" Snotlout exulted.
"Like a ripe tomato under my armpit!" Spitelout added enthusiastically. Gustav pulled a face.
"Bleugh," he muttered.
"Dad-it's fun to be doing this with you," Snotlout admitted and his father looked back with pride in his pale blue eyes.
"You took the words right out of my mouth, boyo!" he replied cheerily. "Couldn't be happier to be yuir wingman!"
"Me neither!" Gustav added. "OY! OY! OY!" They all yelled and then dived down to attack as Astrid stared at her remaining Riders.
"Fishlegs-you're with me!" she announced. "And Cami-Flagship!" The Bog Burglar gave a thumbs up and hung back as the Nadder and Gronckle began strafing the ships, blasting masts down, holing vessels and spreading chaos. The twins blew ships apart and the Jorgensens and Gustav wrecked havoc across the northern part of the Armada. But as the hunters were diving for their lives and trying to fire dragon root arrows and catapults at the Riders, the Bog Heir swooped down and leapt from her dragon, which perched on the prow of the flagship. Cami raced down, her knives flying and taking down any Hunter foolish enough to get into her way. Diving belowdecks, she searched through the cages, finding only a few pathetic dragons that she freed as a matter of course. And then she went lower, to the lowest hold...and there she found the huddled and beaten shape of Hjordis, curled up in a cage.
The two guards made for her but Camicazi was trained as an Heir and one knife buried in the first man's neck even as she drew her sword. But she was never planning on fighting fair and as she ducked and spun, she swapped the sword to her other hand and stabbed the man in the gut-and cut his throat as he collapsed to his knees. Kicking him aside without even a backwards glance, she snagged the keys and wrenched the cage door open. The prisoner cringed back.
Dropping to a knee, Cami laid her bloody sword aside and stared into the fearful eyes.
"I'm a friend," she said as Hjordis took a panicky breath.
"Not what I heard," she mumbled thickly but Cami gently took her hand.
"Astrid sent me to get her daughter while she leads the attack," she said urgently. "I am no enemy to her-or the child. And as Bog Burglar, I would never stand by as a woman is abused or held by a man. Come on-we need to get you safely to Berserk." And then she searched the cage urgently. "Where's the kid? Where's Valkana?" Hjordis took a sobbing breath.
"Johann took her!" she whimpered. "He's got her!"
oOo
Under Berserk, the Hunters were only succeeding in making the King of Dragons mad, his pallid blue eyes filled with rage and his roars filling the caves. Spears bounced off him and attempts to snare him with chains and ropes did little but provide a means for the dragon to slam the irritating humans against the ice and stone until they released him. The monster wasn't above using his massive tusks to knock enormous shards of ice down to crush his enemies but it was only as it opened its mouth, a whitish glow filling the maw that Johann realised the monster had other weapons. Krogan dashed sideways and the Trader hunkered down behind his men as the King of Dragons fired at them.
But the monster spat ice, not fire and the Trader felt the cold cut through his very body, even as he was only glanced by the blast. The men in front of him were completely encased in ice, frozen in their tracks and as he stood, spikes of ice snapping from his back, Johann realised he would have enormous difficulty in subduing the beast. But first, he had to watch his treacherous partner. And as Krogan emerged, Johann rounded on him.
"You know he could do that!" he accused the Flier and seeing no denial in his cold dark eyes. Briefly, he wondered what else Krogan and his unseen backer were holding back from him. "I'm going to have to keep a close eye on you." And they looked at the fresh wall of ice. Gesturing at his remaining men he pointed to that wall. "Break that down! We're going to find a way around."
Elsewhere in the caves, Hiccup and Toothless were racing in search of the King...until the whole cavern shook and a horrible cracking noise sounded around them. Seeing movement in the corner of his eye, Hiccup dived forward as half the roof collapsed, separating him from his dragon.
"Toothless!" he yelled. He heard the despairing roar through the wall of rocks and his chest eased slightly: at least Toothless was safe. "It's okay, bud! Just find another way around!" he added as he turned to the passage ahead. "Whoa..." he gasped, realising he was in a huge cavern, with a spine of ice running from the roof to the unseen floor, hundreds of feet below. The chasm was swathed in freezing fog and shards of green ice were stuck randomly to the walls and roof.
Taking a breath and knowing all he could do was go forward, he drew Inferno and allowed the blade to ignite, providing light and a little warmth as he walked forward, his eyes scanning the frigid space. But as he reached a green hollow in the ice, he froze, his eyes widening.
"Oh my Thor," he breathed as he stared down on a white egg, the shell covered in upwards-facing spines. He knew exactly what he was looking at. "The King of Dragons...has laid an egg?" Or should that be the Queen of Dragons? he thought ironically. Resting his shield against his metal leg, he stabbed his sword into the icy ground and reached for the egg. But his hands were almost brushing the spines when he heard a familiar, hated voice echo through the cavern.
"I see eggs are on the menu!" Johann sneered as he and Krohan walked forward. "Who knew?"
Dancing forward, Hiccup snatched his sword and shield and stood between the two enemies and the egg, knowing he had to protect it from them. It would be the easiest way to capture the King of Dragons-as a helpless hatchling rather than the powerful beast it clearly was. Eyes flicking from Johann to Krogan, the young Viking made his choice. Krogan was younger and he knew what a dangerous fighter he was, for he had seen the man take out all of Ryker's Hunters when he had been kidnapped by bounty hunters. Johann was a little older and less obviously fit so he fired the bola from his shield and wrapped the Flier in the ropes. Instantly, he sheathed his sword and grabbed for the egg to run-but Johann was faster than he had anticipated and the Trader slammed him to the floor, his shield and the egg bouncing aside. Pinning him, the Trader rained blows down on Hiccup, each ferocious blow battering him savagely. Head spinning, he barely saw the knife that flicked out of the concealed sheath in his sleeve. Astrid's gently murmured warning floated back across his concussed brain.
Be careful. Johann has knives concealed up his sleeves.
His eyes widened and he jerked sideways, feeling the breeze as the blade slammed into the ice by his head. Slamming his head up, he punched upwards and kicked Johann back, desperately staggering to his feet and turning his battered face to the egg. He bent forward, reaching for it-as the bola slammed the egg aside. Gasping, Hiccup saw the egg roll briskly towards the edge of the chasm and he ran after it, heedless and still tasting blood from the beating he had just taken. But the egg was beyond his reach so he offered a swift prayer to Odin before he flung himself over the edge, his sword flaming in his hand.
Running forward, Johann and Krogan stared over the abyss-to see Hiccup hanging maybe twenty feet down from his sword, which was jammed into the icy wall...with the egg clamped desperately between his feet. Breathing hard, he glared up at his enemies. Johann laughed.
"You know, this reminds me of the time I was on the glacier..." he began as a roar filled the cavern and the entire place shook, the sickening and deafening crack of ice filling the air. A blast of ice roared past the dangling Viking and he clung on for dear life, a scream bursting from his frozen lungs. He tried to shield the egg as Johann and Krogan were blasted away. Trying to catch his breath, Hiccup hung on as the blast cleared and peered down into the countless feet below-but all he could see was darkness.
"Think, Hiccup-think!" he murmured to himself, glancing up and then down at the egg...and his own metal leg. Quietly, he flicked the egg up and balanced it between his head and the icy wall-and then he unfastened his metal leg and dug it into the wall as a makeshift icepick. Methodically, he pulled his sword out and moved it up then hauled himself and his precious egg up another few inches before repositioning his metal leg. Inch by inch, he dragged his body up the wall, everything hurting from the beating and his entire world contracted to a few repetitive movements.
This was the King's egg and it was his duty to make sure he protected it from Krogan and Johann.
He slipped and the egg careened into the chasm but he grabbed it swiftly and forced his trembling limbs back into place, clambering back up the sheer ice face towards the top. His breath was coming in scorching pants, breaths hurting from bruised ribs. And all he could hear was the beating of his heart and every grunt and gasp he made as he dragged himself up. Until finally, he was almost at the top, panting for breath and exhausted.
"Bravo, Master Hiccup!" Johann sneered. "I didn't believe you had that in you!"
The former Trader was crouched by the edge, watching Hiccup's struggles with scorn before he reached down and grabbed the egg. Eyes flaring in anger, Hiccup braced himself to leap up and wrestle the egg back-but Johann rose to his feet, a spear in one hand-and a struggling bundle in the other.
"It's an interesting irony," Johann said. "That you spend all your strength in saving the King of Dragons' egg-and allow your own child to die." And then, laughing, he dropped Valkana Haddock over the edge.
The incoherent scream burst from his lips as Hiccup threw himself after her, snagging her wrap and managing to haul her against his body. But he was now hanging by one hand from sword, his daughter pressed against his chest.
"I'm sorry, Princess," he murmured. "Daddy's here now. No one will ever harm you again..." Johann sneered and lifted the spear above the helpless Viking.
"Wrong!" he scoffed-and then a purple plasma blast slammed him back, knocking the egg to roll free and away from the stunned ex-Trader. Krogan grabbed it and ran even as Johann backed away from the furious Night Fury, the plasma boiling purple in his throat.
"Good job," Hiccup gasped as he pulled himself up-to see the egg vanish and the former Trader back towards him. Carefully, he rested his daughter on the edge, his entire body heaving with the effort.
"Nice dragon..." Johann gabbled.
"Toothless-no!" Hiccup shouted, looking up at the Trader. "Go after the egg, bud. Please!" The dragon gave a worried croon. "Please, bud. Go! Protect the egg! I'll be fine!" And with a final look, the dragon whisked away after the Flier. Johann immediately turned on him and kicked him in the face. With a cry, Hiccup lurched back and barely grabbed his sword and leg, still stabbed into the ice.
"Will you?" he sneered. "I think it's time you shared my pain, boy!" Giving a cruel smile, Johann then used his foot to carefully slid the squirming baby over the edge and into the abyss.
Hiccup screamed as he flailed his legs to try to grab her-but half his left leg was missing and her squirming body spun through the gap and vanished into the gloom, her cry dopplering into the darkness.
"VAL! Gods-no!" he cried, his head bowed. His breathing ragged, his chest tight with utter grief and despair, he looked up at the man looming above him, his spear held over Hiccup's head.
"Yes!" Johann scoffed and prepared to strike.
An icy blast exploded from the depths, scouring past Hiccup. And hanging there, all he could do was hang on for dear life and pray he would survive so he could somehow take his revenge on Johann for murdering his daughter.
But when the icy torrent had ceased as abruptly as it started, Hiccup looked up-to see Johann encased in ice, the tip of his spear inches from Hiccup's head. Grabbing his sword, the young Viking wearily pulled himself up, the blade shattering as it hit a patch of ice. Mechanically, he cast it aside and levered himself up using his metal leg until he reached the top. But he had just pulled his exhausted body onto the solid ground once more, every muscle trembling with exhaustion when he saw something that froze his heart: Johann's eye moved. He was still alive.
Acting purely on instinct with no coherent thought, the young Viking clipped his metal prosthetic leg on, cast around for a weapon-and then snatched Krogan's discarded sword. He swung the blade round, decapitating the frozen man. Johann's head bounced once and then rolled over into the depths as the headless frozen body remained motionless even as he died, blood sluggishly spilling from the frozen corpse. Exhausted and broken, Hiccup collapsed to his knees.
"Thor...please, no..." he murmured.
But there was a noise, a scraping sound and as he looked, the icy fog billowed around him...and the tip of a rounded white tusk rose above the edge of the chasm, a squirming bundle lying on the precarious perch, her soft whimpers breaking through his fog of despair and grief. Hiccup lurched forward and grabbed her, hugging her to his chest before peering into the obscured depths.
"Val!" he gasped, feeling his daughter squirm in his arms once more. He searched her face, checking for injuries and hand feverishly stroking her downy hair and feeling her cool skin. She whimpered again but she seemed-thankfully-unharmed. In relief, he pressed a soft kiss on her cold forehead and then snuggled her in his arms. He snatched another look into the mist-shrouded depths but the King had vanished...though he knew that the Dragon still had to be there.
"Thank you," he breathed to the unseen creature, staring into his daughter's big eyes. "Thank you for saving my child." Then he looked up and forced his beaten body to his feet. "Now we save yours."