Skye let out another whimper as the blade cut across her kneecap. She hated this particular technique—slashing at the joints for restricted movement and extra pain. It was like her whole body was burning with the effort to not fidget and cry.
"Ready to talk, Einar?" Beast asked. His face and hands were splattered with her blood, and he didn't seem to mind a bit.
Skye wasn't intimidated. She was just in too much pain to notice anything that wasn't under her nose. She gritted her teeth, tasting the tangy metal taste of blood in her mouth. So far, Beast hadn't done much except cutting her and beating her. There was only so much Beast could do before she collapsed. Her body was as heavy as a boulder, her cuts burned, and she was sure she looked like a harried mess.
"I'm not going to talk," Skye said. She spat out some blood on the floor and then closed her mouth firmly.
A sudden strike from the blade sliced her elbow, and if she didn't curse out loud, she would've been angry. She hated elbow cuts. They were unbearable. It was like someone had exposed her whole joint and added salt to it every time she jostled.
It had been seven days since she was captured. Every night Tye visited her and bandaged her, treated her wounds to prevent any infection. She considered it a preparation for the next day's bout with Beast. But she had know something was different this day. The crew above deck were more frantic, Beast wasn't as patient as the previous days, and the ship had slowed down a little.
Once their session was complete, she was unhooked from her chains and left unceremoniously on the floor. Beast picked up his dagger and swiped it against a cloth.
"Hey," Skye mumbled, "What's happening?"
Beast let out a grunt before responding. "Reaching the island in a day."
Skye hummed. The leaders of Shruiken would be at the port for sure by the time the ship docked. It stirred fear in her chest, but she breathed deeply as Beast continued.
"Tomorrow's your lucky day, Einar," he said, "no interrogation."
"They'll dress me up."
"Most definitely," Tye piped in.
They both looked at him. Tye had just suddenly appeared, or maybe he had been in a dark corner of another cell the whole time. Knowing him, he didn't have the stomach for torture. At best, he was a great sailor and leader, his strategies came natural. Skye realized that after she had revealed a little too much about her old island on one of their late night chats.
Beast left the brig. Tye brought a plate of food and aid.
"I think you'd look pretty in a dress," Tye murmured playfully.
"You know they'd never put me in a dress," Skye said as she glared at him. "That's only for their women."
"I've seen your outfit," Tye said. He let her eat from the plate while he slowly began cleaning her wounds up. She had allowed him to do it because she was exhausted. "It's quite a spectacle."
Skye let out a small guffaw. As much as she hated Shruiken, she couldn't hate Tye. He was sometimes too ridiculous, too questionable in his mannerisms. She wondered how such a hearty man joined such a place. She enjoyed their talks. "Let me guess," she said with a mouth stuffed with chicken. "The Black and Silver and Red sash?" At his nod, she shook her head. "Meant to symbolize Death, Steel, and Blood, the foundation of Shruiken," Skye recited. "For we give our lives, we fight for our lives, and we spill the blood of those who don't stand with us."
"You've memorized that rubbish?" Tye laughed.
Skye snorted. "I don't think anyone even buys it. I heard a rumor that it actually came from a poem from Crazy Crow."
"Who's Crazy Crow?"
"You don't know Crazy Crow?" Skye asked incredulously. "He was a legend. He was the one warrior that went insane from torture. Apparently he had betrayed Shruiken and lived to pay the price. They didn't kill him, but let him live in the woods. He wrote poems and talked to the crows."
"He sounds like a wonderful person," Tye said sarcastically.
"Yeah," she replied. "No one could hate him."
Tye looked at the rags she wore. "You look terrible. How in the world am I supposed to make you even slightly presentable?"
Blood and cuts and bruises marked her skin, everywhere except her face, according to Tye's instruction. Her dark hair was greasy and blood-stained. Her face was sunken, pale, and her eyes were bloodshot, like she had one too many sleepless nights. He did not bandage her wounds, but instead just wrapped a flimsy cloth over the larger cuts to temporarily stop the bleeding.
"I'm taking you to my cabin," he said quietly. She looked up at him, her eyes narrowed. "You need a bath and cleaner clothes." He glanced at the empty plate. She had devoured the food faster than he realized. "And more food."
Skye tried to pull herself up, hissing and gritting her teeth. Her body felt like it was doused in lemon water, searing all her cuts and leaving her breathless. She managed to hobble on her feet, the cuts on her knees were shallow, but they smarted with every shift.
"You look pitiful," Tye said glumly.
Skye let out a quiet laugh as she balanced herself on Tye. They began walking out the cell at a snail's pace. By the time they reached the entrance to the brig, Skye was heaving for breath, tears stinging her eyes.
Tye finally hefted her in his arms and carried her back to his cabin. The sun was setting, and her fingers grasped his shirt tightly, tugging it once to make him stop.
The sun was just sinking over the horizon. The water was cast red and yellow and pink, and it reminded her of flying on Sin's back, soaring through the clouds, feeling the rush and the wind and the freedom. It felt like it never happened, that she was bound to always return to Shruiken. Her happiness was always short-lived. But she cherished that happiness nonetheless.
"Let's go," she murmured.
She was thankful that he hadn't spoken up. He swung open the door and put her on a chair. He then heated up wood that was surrounded by a solid rock pillar, and placed a metal rod in the fire. Skye watched him cross the room to pull out better clothes, scented bars, and bandages. The tiny bathtub in the corner of the room was filled with steaming hot water, scented with a flower she couldn't recognize.
"Shruiken pays for a job well done," Tye explained as he watched the metal rod turn red with heat. "I need to close the wounds."
"By burning me?"
"It's a new technique."
Once Tye finished sealing all her deep wounds with a press from the hot metal rod, Skye was sweating and crying, biting down on a smoothened shard of wood.
He left the room so that she could wash herself. She didn't know how she had managed it all those years before, when she was so much younger, but now, it seemed like the pain would not end.
After she had cleaned up, she could barely step out of the tub. She had scars and wounds all over her body, in patches or strips, and it made her tense and uneasy. Her years-old scars had faded until they were thin, white and pink bumpy lines, but now she was absolutely littered in blotches of red and blue and purple. Every nerve in her body felt like it was on fire, but a salve that Tye had given her greatly soothed the burns. She had never used such a salve, but it cooled any pain she had, leaving only a stiff ache in its wake. It was magical.
Tye had later brought up a ton of food— spiced meat and bread and pickles, cooked potato and corn, with a side of slightly ripe fruits and plenty of water.
She ate enough to feel bloated. She had to stock up on food in case she would continue being treated like she had the past week.
Skye slept on a bed that night— mostly composed of a bunch of blankets and rugs, in the brig in her cell. A tremor of fear passed through her, enough to make her shiver. They would dock at the isle tomorrow night. She would face everything she had tried to run from, but at least she didn't take her friends down with her.
Not once that day, did Hiccup cross her mind. Maybe it was the pain or the tiredness, but she suddenly missed his comfort. Nothing could compare to the way he smiled at her, his existence just assuring her that things would always be okay. It made her body warm.
She vowed to herself. If she ever met Hiccup again, she would truly tell him that she would never give up on him again. Skye felt like a lovesick dragon. It almost made her gag, but she couldn't deny her feelings any longer, and she wouldn't hide it from him anymore either.
***
"We can take Tracker dragons to trace her," Valka suggested. Her staff rested by her hand, and she was clutching it tightly.
Hiccup, who was standing at the round conference table, looked at his map. There were plenty of soft, light circles around tiny dots on the map. On his exploration, never had he once encountered Shruiken Island. It must be further away. Hiccup pursed his lips. "Skye said that Shruiken are prepared for everything. Battle, dragons, anything we can think of, they know better. "
"So what do we do?" Astrid asked.
The riders and Valka and Gobber, along with Spitelout, looked to Hiccup. The young Chief paused, before he shook his head. "I don't know."
Spitelout slammed is fist on the table. "We should attack at night! We have a Nightfury and a whole armada of dragons!"
"And what do they have?" Hiccup shot back. "Can you name their weapons, battalions, maybe they have dragons, too!"
"Then we should send scouts," Fishlegs said.
"I volunteer Ruffnut," Tuffnut said immediately His sister nodded, bright smile on her face.
Hiccup rubbed his forehead. He could feel the tiny whistle in his pocket. What was the use of such a powerful weapon if they couldn't use it?
"Hiccup," Astrid said almost gently. He looked up, and he could feel her hesitate. "Our only advantage are dragons. From the sanctuary and from Berk. They will listen to their Alpha."
"What are you saying, Astrid?"
"Spitelout might be right," she said, and almost grimaced at the thought. "We can use the Trackers. Find the island, and find Skye while the dragons attack the buildings and fend off the army."
Hiccup shook his head. "We can't account for the loss. And just for one person, Astrid? Would it be worth it?"
"Woah, woah," Snotlout shouted. "This is Skye we're talking about! Are you sure that's the attitude you wanna go with?"
Hiccup felt like the gods were testing his patience. "What would you have me do?" His voice could cut steel. "I'm the Chief. I look out for the people."
"Yes, but-"
"What I don't do, is send them to a war they might not win, just for one person!"
The crew turned slack-jawed. Hiccup stormed out of the Hall without a word, and he felt like the world was against him and his happiness. What would his father do, he wondered. As a Chief, he couldn't put his people in danger. It was a sworn duty to protect them, and he didn't want to seek out a war just for Skye.
Besides, he knew that was the last thing she would have wanted. She does what she does to protect everyone. And for the first time, Hiccup understood how she felt, why she always ran away when things got tough, because he wanted to run now. He wanted to solve it himself. He didn't want anyone else to die for his cause.
Astrid walked out to see Hiccup sitting on the steps of the Hall overlooking the village. She sat down beside him. "I feel like you already have a plan, Chief," she said softly.
He shrugged his shoulders. "All these years wondering why Skye was so antsy and always protective, I get how bad it feels."
"Don't tell me you're taking a page out of her book," Astrid said in shock. "I'll burn than book."
It elicited a small laugh from him. "Then what do I do?"
Her hand was placed firmly on his shoulder and she smiled at him. "We will die for you and Skye, if that's what it takes."
"But that's what I'm trying to avoid, Astrid!"
Still, her patience was there. He was surprised that she hadn't knocked his skull yet, but his hands were poised to block it.
"If Skye was in the same position as you," Astrid said as she pulled him to his feet. "Would you let her go it alone? Would you let her march into a fight you know she wouldn't win alone? Because everyone would do the same for you, and you can't stop us if we're willing to help."
Hiccup sniffed softly and brushed away a small tear. It felt like her words were burning him and soothing him at the same time. "But if you die-"
"Then we die with honor," she completed. "By our friends and for our friends."
The gang walked out of the Hall and paused to see Hiccup and Astrid.
"I really wouldn't mind an extra scar or two," Tuffnut said coyly. "After all, it's the Thorsten way."
"Would you be willing to fight?" Hiccup asked unsurely.
"Yeah," Ruffnut replied. "It's the only way to get my suppressed anger out."
"Oh, that stuff is dangerous," her brother said. "You gotta let it out."
"I'm gonna let it out."
"Let it all out, sister!"
Snotlout shoved them out of the way and folded his arms, a smirk on his face. "I'd do anything for the love of my life."
"But she loves me," Hiccup said in confusion, and he could feel the burden of rescuing Skye lighten. Their jokes and support managed to bring him out of his gloom and give him hope.
"Hiccup," Snotlout patted his arm condescendingly. "The second Skye sees me barrel in, sword in hand, taking down her enemies, she'll know the truth."
"Aside from them," Fishlegs said. "I'm with you all the way, Hiccup."
Hiccup nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "Mom, I need you to look after the village. I also need the best Tracker dragons."
Valka nodded. "I'll line up a few by sunset. I'll also get you some stealthy and fighter class dragons. You need as much back-up as possible."
"Thanks, Mom. Everyone else, back into the Hall. We have a bunch of planning to do."
By sunset, the gang had packed up supplies and weapons. They had left Berk with the blessings from the villagers and the promise of a big feast for their return. For some reason, the others watched as Hiccup dragged a heavy box to one of the larger dragons, and startled it to their back. When asked about it, he just replied that it was a contingency.
They began their journey, following the Trackers as they sniffed Skye's scent from a shirt that she left behind. Sinless had come along, flying beside Toothless, mind only on her rider and friend. Lightning buzzed under her skin, strong and powerful. She waited for the moment she could blast ships to blazes and rescue Skye. By the end of a week, the gang knew they were close. Sea-stacks were driven into the floor of the sea, and there were ships at a distance. They made a hide-out at a small island, lush with trees and water. They made a quick plan as the sun set.
"Astrid," Hiccup instructed. "Take one of the less colorful dragons and scout the place with Fishlegs. Be careful and don't get too close."
They nodded and flew off into the night. By the time they had returned, the others had gathered some fruits and filled their jars with water. They made sure the dragons didn't make a sound or fire.
"What did you see?" Hiccup asked.
Astrid picked up a stick and began drawing the outlay of the island. Many sentries were posted in its perimeter, along with prepared cannons and horns to sound an alarm. A battalion of ships were on the far side of the island, berthed in its rather large cove. The ships were reinforced with weapons and metal and dragon-proof steel.
The island was rather barren of forests. Only strategically-placed trees were mounted with hidden sentries. There was a huge building in the center of the island— a prison and a training area, as much as they could see, similar to their Dragon Academy, but only much, much larger. They spotted plenty of forges, and small houses were surrounded by fences, to protect the people. By the end of the briefing, the gang was slack-jawed.
"That place is worse than Vanaheim," Snotlout commented.
Tuffnut snorted. "I thought it was pretty cool. Ruffnut, jot down the idea for hidden tree sentries."
"Already on it."
Hiccup rubbed his forehead. "Alright, are you sure that that place was a prison?"
Fishlegs shrugged. "It could be. We assumed because there was a line of shackled men being led there."
"Any sign of Skye?"
"We couldn't get too close," Astrid replied. She recalled how they had nearly alarmed the whole island of their existence, but narrowly escaped it thanks to Fishlegs' quick-thinking.
"Then how did you spot the tree sentries?" Tuffnut added.
"There was a change in guard," Fishlegs replied confidently. Tuffnut pursed his lips and turned quiet. "We were lucky enough to see that. Based on my calculation, they probably change every three hours."
"Alright," Hiccup started. "We have the advantage of surprise and dragons. We first need to take out all the sentries and posts and armories."
It surprised everyone that Hiccup would attack first and talk later. He wasn't one to seek a war, but when it came to Skye, his agenda was unpredictable. "Ruff and Tuff, gather all the Hideous Zipplebacks we have. We need the areas I mentioned doused in gas. It should be quiet and quick."
The twins nodded and grinned at each other. They couldn't wait for the destruction that would follow.
"Snotlout and Fishlegs," Hiccup directed. "You both will take the other dragons and herd off any strays. Make sure to cover our backs as Astrid and I search for Skye. Sinless comes with us."
"Wait," Ruffnut, who had become the voice of reason suddenly, asked, "We have to take out the tree sentries, too. Wouldn't they notice any movement?"
"They would," Hiccup grinned. "Which is why we need a distraction." He walked over to one of the big dragons and pulled down the box it was carrying. He tapped it softly and seemed content when the box shifted violently.
"Is that what I think it is?" Tuffnut asked, his eyes blown wide with shock.
Hiccup frowned. "I-I'm not sure what you're thinking half the time."
"It's the walking dead!" He shrieked out before Hiccup could finish talking. "I knew I would be the one to command a legion of the walking dead!"
"The walking-" Hiccup shook his head. "No, Tuffnut! Those are Smokebreaths. They'd be a great distraction once they see all that metal on the island."
"Chaos," Astrid echoed. "That's brilliant, Hiccup!"
The Chief nodded his head, his hope rising. They could do it. They could rescue her.
"What if their ships chase us?" Fishlegs asked fearfully.
"Then we fly away from Berk and lay low until they're gone. We attack just before dawn."
"I'll keep first watch," Astrid volunteered.
"No need," Hiccup said almost immediately. "I'll do it with Toothless. I'm too awake anyway."
She nodded hesitatingly, but then turned over with Stormfly.
Hiccup's mind was muddled, but he hadn't wanted to show it to the team. The last thing he needed was a team that was insecure. But he had a feeling that things might now work out as well. He knew Skye's ability, and she was still young and hadn't trained with Shruiken for years. What about the more experienced fighters on the island?
Skye was the prized pet of Shruiken for more than her ability to take a life.
It was something that ran in her blood— uniting the Skrill pack. The more Hiccup thought about it, the more unrealistic it sounded.
The first thing Skye would do would be to unite the pack, once she was rescued, and then go back to Shruiken for Round Two. He had to make sure she wouldn't get her hands on the whistle.
The moment Hiccup saw the sun beginning to rise, he woke the gang and they quickly ate on fruits and water, before they packed their weapons got into position. Before they had dallied asleep, Hiccup had briefed their parts.
Hiccup took in a deep breath. They had a plan and it was going to work. It will work.
He and Toothless split away from the others. Sinless would be staying with Astrid for the meantime while he played his part.
He nudged Toothless towards the island.
Skye was coming home.