361Chapter 45: In which Hiccup discovers a new form of injustice...
Hiccup had to adjust to many changes in his life recently. Him and Astrid's arranged marriage. Dragons switching from enemies to friends. The entirety of Berk, and especially his father, gaining admiration for him…
…his father disowning him. Banishing him. Losing his village. His home.
He had to adjust to many changes, but losing his leg had frustrated him the most.
"Do you want me to carry you the rest of the way?"
"What is with you and wanting to tote me around?"
Astrid frowned at him. He felt ashamed for the look she gave him.
"Your limp is getting heavier the further we walk." Astrid squatted down, holding her arms out behind her.
Hiccup blew out a frustrated breath from his nostrils. "If it makes you happy—" He rested his hands on her shoulders, pressed up behind her, and tried his best to hop to give Astrid some help in lifting him to ride piggyback. "This is embarrassing – having your wife carry you."
Astrid snorted, giving him a little bounce as she adjusted his weight to her liking. "It's not much further up here. Just enjoy the ride."
A wiggling from Astrid's adjusting reminded him of a private activity they hadn't participated in for weeks. A little mischievous thought blurted out, "If this was a different kind of ride, I'd enjoy it more."
Astrid bent over, nearly toppling him off, as she giggled. "Hiccup! Don't make me drop you!"
Hiccup choked Astrid's neck out of preservation instincts as he tipped forward. He loosened up almost instantly as Astrid straightened up and they started off again.
The coastline of the island they'd taken as temporary residence looked the same on all sides. They'd explored every inch of the island and found nothing remarkable. It was flatter than Berk and didn't showcase rocky mountain like the ones that jutted out on Berk. The forest was thick and would take heavy work to clear.
Hiccup knew this wasn't an ideal place to settle, but he wasn't prepared to leave yet. He needed a new leg, one that would fit him correctly. He'd jotted down ideas and sketches - on parchment the twins had lifted from somewhere - of possible leg replacements that he could craft, if he ever got his hands on blacksmithing tools. Toothless also needed a new tail. The old one had burned away in the Queen's inferno. Both he and Toothless were flightless and it was making Hiccup antsy.
The sandy soil crunched under Astrid's boots as she walked them to the edge of the water. Hiccup slid off her back and she reached out to help balance him. They sank to the sandy ground, scooting hip to hip – the quiet wrapping around them. The entire gang slept in the cave together or right outside with their dragons. Alone time was a luxury nowadays. If Hiccup so much as leaned in to kiss his wife, there'd be cat calls and the annoyance churned in his belly that followed. Away from camp, him and Astrid could indulge in each other without an audience.
Astrid must have read his mind, and he found her inching slower to meet him. They spent the next several minutes deep in desperate kisses and gentle touches, until Hiccup emerged for air.
"Astrid, I want you so badly right now."
Astrid's breath shuddered. Her pupils were dilated. The look she gave him nearly undid him. "Then, take me."
Hiccup wasn't sure where he mustered the self-control to not completely ravage his wife after such a delicious invitation. A sandy shore out on a random island; banished far from their home; a healing stump where part of his leg used to be. No, this wasn't where he desired to be intimate with his wife. Their last encounter played out as an impulse in an old storage closet in the Great Hall. Astrid deserved better than another romp in a throwaway place.
Hiccup shook his head. "Not here. I want to give you something better than this."
Astrid pulled back, her lips forming a flat line. Hiccup resisted the need to kiss away her disappointment. If they started up again, he wouldn't be able to stop himself this time around.
"I understand." Astrid graced him with a small smile that lit up his heart. "You take good care of me, Hiccup Haddock."
Hiccup slid his palms along the bareness of her arms. Astrid shivered under his touch. "And you give me the best care, Astrid Haddock."
Astrid ducked her head, the makings of a blush forming on her cheeks.
They sat in companionable silence leaned up against each other. They played a game on the ground in front of them, taking turns creating a drawing in the sand using the tips of their fingers.
Hiccup formed a semi-circle on their drawing. "Y'know, we can't stay here. We need to search for a place to settle down soon."
"It's out there. We'll find it," Astrid replied reassuringly as she added a few lines to their collaborative work.
"But we're not going anywhere until I get my hands on blacksmith tools and metals."
He felt the weight of that need pressing heavier now that he spoke it aloud. Not only having to recover from a severe injury away from the comforts you once had known but working with limited mobility and supplies that were near impossible to afford or attain. Toothless was growing restless being grounded, and honestly, so was Hiccup. He could easily fly with another dragon rider, but it wasn't the same. He missed being able to work with his hands. Shape and create his latest ideas. To swing the hammer and hear the satisfying sizzle of the molten metal as it hit the water.
Astrid grinned. "I think it's time for you to go on a supply run."
Hiccup nodded, finishing off their drawing. "Maybe it is."
They analyzed their drawing in the sand. Astrid scoffed then laughed, realizing what they had drawn. "Does everything have to be a dragon?"
It was alarming, and yet, not surprising how easily the twins took to a life of crime. They stole most of the gang's supplies from nearby islands and were damn proud of their achievement. Hiccup wasn't too thrilled with the twins' shameless attitude toward their unsavory skill, but the gang claimed nothing to their name except what they had on their person when they left Berk. Being unfamiliar with the cultures of the closest inhabited islands, along with their questionable mode of transportation, they couldn't exactly show up somewhere and ask for jobs. Right now, they had no other choice but to steal until they could be self-sufficient.
Astrid had asked if Hiccup wanted to fly Stormfly, but he declined and claimed he was perfectly happy riding. Arms wrapped around her middle; he hugged up against Astrid's back. Some loose strands of her hair tickled his face. They flew behind the twins; Barf and Belch leading the way with an air of eagerness. The twins had found an island about two hours from their camp. It was a trade island where a group of ironsmiths resided and had set up a large forge. There was an overabundance of blacksmith tools and supplies, perfect for what Hiccup needed. A few missing supplies wouldn't harm the business.
The twins pointed them in the direction where they'd spied the forge then flew off to another part of the island, vowing they'd meet up with them later. They scanned the area for a place to land Stormfly and keep her hidden while they ventured onto the island.
"Stay here, girl," Astrid gently ordered, rubbing Stormfly's horn to comfort her dragon's concern. "We'll be back soon."
"We won't be gone long," Hiccup promised, patting her jaw.
Stormfly trilled in understanding and bumped her face against Astrid's shoulder. Astrid hugged her dragon one more time before they set out, her ax strapped to her back. With Hiccup still recovering from his injury, she was their only line of defense. She'd do anything within her strength to keep him safe.
Hiccup set the pace as they trekked through the woods toward the forge. When they arrived, they paused at the edge of the trees staying hidden within the brush. The forge was vacant, and the fires were smoldering embers, most likely the work being saved for the cool evening hours of the day. They could walk right into the forge and no one would be there to see them. It seemed too good to true. The gathering would have been quick and easy, if Hiccup hadn't paid attention to what the blacksmiths were working on.
"Are these…cages?" he pondered aloud at the sight of a dozen or so rectangular iron boxes with bars. "What're they building cages for?"
Astrid looked at the cages in concern. "I don't know. Whatever it is, it's for something big."
Hiccup and Astrid's heads snapped up at the echo of a dragon roar not far away. There were rows of tents and Hiccup moved to look passed the camp that blocked the happenings in the distance. An arena, built similar to the one on Berk, could be seen. People sat in bleacher type seats around the arena.
Another dragon roar filled the air from the arena. Hiccup's blood ran cold and his breath caught. It never occurred to him that other islands or cultures would battle dragons as Berk did. Dropping the sack of blacksmith tools, he bolted off towards the arena, adrenaline and anger fueling his limbs.
"Hiccup!" Astrid called after him.
He ignored her cry and kept going, his mind turning over and over at what he would find down in the arena. Pain began to shoot up his leg causing his dash to slow. Astrid appeared at his side, grabbing his arm to support him before his leg gave out. Their eyes met. Astrid nodded without him saying a word of his intentions. She helped him to the arena, climbing up the short flight of stairs and making their way to the viewing area.
Down below, several cages were lined in rows with various dragons inside – some angry and hissing around muzzles; others huddled in the corners of the cages, frightened. A dark-haired man in black leather stood in the middle of the arena, a blue gronkle chained around the neck, was beside him.
"Any bids on this gronkle?" the man asked the crowd. When no one responded immediately, he added, "If anything, it'd make a fabulous pair of boots!"
The bidding slowly began.
Hiccup could barely think over the discourse in his mind. This was an auction, and these people were selling captured dragons, whose fates were uncertain. Imprisonment…labor…death. There was one thing Hiccup was certain about, these dragons lives would be filled with misery and they'd die at the hands of a human being. At least on Berk, most all dragons died honorable deaths in war, but this? Auctioning off their lives was unthinkable.
Hiccup's body involuntarily jumped at the touch on his shoulder. He turned to look at Astrid. He could tell by the look on her face that she knew exactly what he was going through his mind.
"This needs to stop!" Hiccup hissed in anger.
Astrid grabbed his arm as if anticipating he would do something crazy like clear the wall and jump onto the arena floor down below. She leaned in close to his ear. "Hiccup, we can't help them…not right now. It's just the two of us. I'm the only one with a weapon. You're still recovering from losing your leg. We will come back and right this injustice when we're better prepared. I promise you that."
Hiccup stared down at the blatant display of cruelty as the chain around the gronkle's neck was yanked hard and it was led away by two men. Fury burned in Hiccup's blood. If it weren't for Astrid's grounding hold on his arm, he'd have caused such a disturbance that the gods themselves would have heard it. Astrid tugged on his arm. Tearing his gaze from the arena floor, he let her lead him away.
Astrid gripped his hand as they walked back toward the forge. They hadn't gotten halfway passed the camp when the flapping of wings caught their attention. They snapped their eyes up to find at least a dozen or more dragons flying in all directions. Shouts erupted on the other side of the arena and people at the auction were emptying the bleachers.
"What in Thor's name?" Hiccup mumbled.
A hideous zippleback stopped to hover over them. Familiar laughter echoed down from the two-headed dragon.
"Nothing like a prison break to highlight your day!" Ruffnut hollered down at them.
"You guys released those dragons?" Hiccup asked, wondering how many more dragons were in cages on the island.
"We needed a punishable-by-death felony to add to our resume," Tuffnut explained.
"We all need to get out of here before they catch us and actually put us to death!" Astrid pointed out.
Ruffnut pointed off in the distance. "We'll wait for you on the other side of the trees."
Astrid nodded. She gave Hiccup a look and bent down.
Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Toting me again?"
"Just get on!" Astrid growled through gritted teeth.
Astrid dashed back to the forge with impressive speed. They grabbed the sacks they'd left there. Hiccup walked the short distance to the tree line. Stormfly was safely awaiting them, squawking happily when she caught sight of them. They tied the sacks to Stormfly's saddle and took flight.
Hiccup looked back at the island. Chaos had broken out. The men who ran the operation were quickly spreading out over the island searching for the culprits and freed dragons. Hiccup vowed to himself that this place would one day be destroyed so that dragons wouldn't have to suffer by the hands of cruel people.