1Achillea (a state of war)
Warnings: grammatical errors, language, strong and sensitive themes; blood, abuse, torture.
[In this AU THW didn't happen so the dragons are still here.]
[Astrid was taken when she was 3 months pregnant.]
[Krogan is a bastard in this one.]
[There aren't many whump!fics for Astrid so I wrote one.]
Again, this fanfic will contain sensitive themes. I will always warn in the notes what to expect in each chapter so that everyone can remain safe and healthy. If this isn't your cup of tea and are in any way uncomfortable, please, I'm begging you to close the tab, and/or if you are still curing I'll have a TL;DR at the end.
Enjoy.
[part i]
There were 284 cracks on her cell's walls.
It had taken Astrid approximately one week to sit down and start doing something other than pacing. Her feet had hurt and her back had seen better days. She took pleasure in sitting in silence, nursing her wounds and slowly learning the guards' schedules. Irregular as they were, she had managed to pinpoint a large part of it.
Who knew Hunters threw so much thought into their patrol schedules? Then again with their leader back from the dead, it was to be expected.
It had been a surprise seeing the man again after all these years. She had heard tales of his death by his master's hand, but apparently, that was not the case. Just another lie in the Archipelago's grapevine.
Astrid hissed and curled around herself. She had tried to escape again, but this time the Hunters had been more than ready. And unlike last time, they hadn't stopped in just restraining her. Her bruises pulsed and her hand –sprained from being stepped on– gave a pitiful jolt. She cradled it at her chest, trying to ease the sharp pains in her belly. Some of the hits had strayed and hit her dead on; the pain hadn't stopped since.
The heavy door squealed open and through her bangs, she saw a healer being thrown inside by two guards. Before the door slammed closed, he stepped inside. Astrid didn't fight back her sneer.
"Came to gloat?"
He ignored her and looked at the trembling healer. "Look at her wounds. Make sure she's fit to live another week or so."
"Don't touch me." She hissed, making the healer freeze and whimper. Turning back at the dark-haired man, she continued, "You think you will get away with this? They are looking for me. Scouting dragons are probably all over the Archipelago trying to sniff me out. If you are as smart as you say you are, let me go."
She was never one for words. That was her husband's area of expertise. Astrid always favored actions over words, preferred using her axe for negotiations. As much as Valka had tried, Astrid still preferred the old-fashioned way. But this wasn't a problem she could lop her axe to. Had she been by herself then maybe, but there was someone else depending on her now.
Unconsciously, Astrid curled tighter to herself; she couldn't afford to act recklessly, not anymore.
"The smart thing is to keep you detained, my dear." He said and took a step, "But I am being kind enough not to tie you up like the beasts you ride." Astrid bristled and he smirked. With a cunning look, he turned to the healer. "Heal her. If she tries to kill you, my men will immobilize her. What say you, Chieftess? Two darts of Speedstinger venom should be enough." He said motioning to the two men by the bars each holding a tube.
The healer visibly flinched and Astrid forced herself to remain calm. Slowly, the healer dared closer and very carefully took care of her injuries, trying not to show his fear to either party. Astrid glared at the man holding her captive and endured his leery eyes when the healer raised her shift.
Clenching her jaw, she vowed to be patient and bide her time. He will slip up, they all do. And when he does, she will be ready and she will strike.
They mostly left her alone.
They didn't bother her unless to bring her food, and even then they just threw the moldy bread and walked away. She spent her time picking at the chunks and counting the patrols. Her cell was cold and getting colder, so by her calculations, they were north –much farther than they have ever traveled before.
The chilly winds also spelled something else; the shivers.
Berk had them as well, but with a fully equipped healer and fire-breathing lizards twice their sizes, they dealt with the shivers pretty well. The Hunters? Not so much.
The patrolling guards had been half their regular numbers and more than once she had caught a few gossips of someone's death. It was a blessing when one night, her guard had succumbed to his shivering and coughing. Astrid had pried open her cage and was running for her life. Somewhere in the endless dark maze (her brain half registering that they were underground), they had gotten a whiff of her escape and sounded the alarm. She tried to run as fast as she could, but all these weeks of poor eating and laying down had weakened her. The Hunters caught up to her easy enough.
That didn't mean she was going to be an easy sport. She knew they had orders not to hurt her irreparably, and she reveled on that.
She fought them off as best as she could in her situation. She rolled from kicks and blocked punches from her middle, managing to kick some in the face. Her lucky streak stopped when she managed to down one guard and steal his axe. Astrid had grinned murderously now that she had finally managed to get a weapon. It was their funeral.
The prick in her arm froze her even before the paralysis settled.
Astrid felt half her body freeze in an uncomfortable position, one that also rendered her belly exposed. They jumped her then. She tried to move but the venom was still coursing her veins. It was all for naught. Soon she was back to her cell and face to face with her captor.
"I warned you the last time you tried to run." Her breath caught as he approached her, something glowing in his hands. Once she realized what it was, her fight was renewed.
"No. No!" Her limbs were trembling with her efforts, and Astrid cursed when they held her down. Her eyes never left the burning steel that was closing in. "Don't you dare touch me! Don't you touch me! I'll kill you. I'll kill you, you hear me? Odin help you if you touch me! I'll come back from Niflheim and kill you where you stand!"
Krogan only chuckled. "I'm not an idiot, my dear. Why would I throw away my greatest advantage in this war?" Astrid sneered and with her –finally moving– leg tried to kick him. His free hand shot to her foot in a bruising grip. "But still, I don't appreciate you trying to get away." He brought the burning steel close and Astrid froze. "So you understand, I have to do this?"
Her screams echoed through the night just as he started carving on her flesh.
:::
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[part ii]
It wasn't long after the rumors hit her ears.
The guards slurred as they drank, loud and obscene as ever. They were talking about losses; territories, forts, people, assets. The dragon riders had been relentless at their last expeditions.
Astrid tried to quench her rising hope in her chest. It was still early, she shouldn't hope to be rescued just yet. It would be too good to be true. But her desire to be back home, in her husband's arms, and curled around their warm hearth was too much.
She curled her arms around her belly, ignoring how her feet ached in her every move. She didn't belong here. They didn't belong in this cold and dripping cell, hungry and shivering. Her shift was dirty and ripped from when they had first caught her, blood soiling the once white wool. It wasn't all hers. Astrid bit back a whimper when she remembered how Stormfly, her beautiful and amazing girl, had jumped between her and the hoards that had dared attack them.
Berk had been peaceful after the death of Drago. The Archipelago had lived in peace with the dragons and everything had been quiet after that fateful fight that they had dared to lower their guard.
The Hunters had caught them in their sleep. Astrid had wanted to laugh; you'd think befriending the largest predators of the Known World, would give them more protection. Yet the Hunters still came, waving their weapons and spilling blood. Stormfly's blood; her beautiful girl bleeding on the ground had been the last thing she had seen before she was captured.
Astrid took a breath to calm her racing heart. She had to have faith that her dear Nadder was alright. Gobber and Gothi had treated her darling and she was on Berk healing and worrying about her. Her heart gave a lurch, because oh Gods, Hiccup. Her husband must be going out of his mind. Was he eating? Was he sleeping? She doubted Valka or Gobber could make him take a break and stop to rest. He had the habit of hyper-focusing and he would forget or forgo rest and food. And he would be ignoring all his needs because finding her would be his number one priority.
She had to get back, now.
The door banged open. Astrid flinched and bit back her painful cry. Her feet had yet to heal, scarred and burned as they were they had started peeling the past couple of days. It had been insufferable; needles piercing her whole body with every move she made. The healer had taken pity and worked a paste on her feet, numbing the pain. Hadn't it been for him, she'd still be writhing and turning on the floor.
Krogan sauntered inside and Astrid got ready for another verbal match. It had been routine for the entirety of her capture; him coming in her cell taunting her, and her jeering and sassing him back. What? Growing a backbone was how you survived on Berk. And Hiccup's sarcasm was very contagious... Why did it still surprise people, she'll never know.
Krogan's expression made her pause though; something was wrong.
Before she could say anything his boot caught her chin. Sloppy, her mind called as Astrid fell down. He caught her by the hair, raising her to her knees before sending blow after blow at her face. She managed a kick at his shin and he released her. Like a puppet, Astrid fell on the floor, dizzy, bruised, and bleeding she crawled back. Her heart and mind raced; what was happening? So far, he hadn't dared harm her, other than incapacitating her. What changed?
Then it clicked.
"You are losing." Astrid bit back the hiss when he gripped her hair painfully; she could feel his nails digging at her skull. Instead, she grinned. "You started a war you can't win."
She remembered the rumors, the hissed and drunken comments of the guards. It made cold satisfaction curl in her stomach.
A scarred sneer met her defiant eyes. "As long as I have you, I'll always win."
"You are wrong." She spat at his face, "As long as you have me, he will continue to fight. You still think he's that naïve little boy. He is not."
Astrid swallowed the lump in her throat, a grim smile forming in her bruised face. "As long as you hold me captive, you won't last to see your stupid crusade die."
The slap threw her off balance. She braced for the fall, curling into a tight ball with her hands protectively over her swollen stomach. Between the golden strands of her hair, Astrid saw Krogan rise to his full height.
"I will not fail." He gave her a hiss, reminding her of the dragons he so hated, "Your husband is the last obstacle in my plan. I will destroy him."
Fear curled in her stomach and forced herself to look up. "You can't touch him."
"Not yet." Krogan hissed again taking a step towards her. In reflex, Astrid scooted back, cursing herself when she saw a light sparking in her captor's eyes. "But you. You are a different matter."
"You wouldn't dare." Astrid didn't allow her voice to tremble. "I'm your biggest advantage, remember?"
A wicked grin appeared on his face. "And whoever said I needed you in one piece?"
Astrid froze, her eyes betraying the fear that was rushing into her heart. "You won't dare."
He had her by the throat, lifting her from the floor and slamming her on the wall. Her chains jingled and her feet screamed, reaping a pained cry from her throat. His fingers squeezed and Astrid scrambled to fight him off. Her hand shot for his eyes, but he maneuvered around her nails. Taking another step forward Krogan pinned her in the wall.
"You will stop fighting." Astrid huffed and tried to buck him off. He shook her, making her head slam at the bricks behind; she gasped in pain.
"You will play the part of the good captive, or I'll carve his heir out and throw it at his feet."
She bit back the retort when he threw her down again and shot him her iciest glare. With a sneer, he turned and left, his cape flowing behind him.
"Your choice, Chieftess."
:::
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[part iii]
Time flew, with her belly growing, rounding in a soft curve that was getting harder to keep safe. Her living conditions hadn't gotten any better. Her cell was still grimy and smelled of stale and urine, still cold and wet. The healer had given her a blanket he had salvaged; it did nothing for her during the chilly nights.
Astrid was exhausted, sleepy, and hungry. She wanted to go home to her husband. Back to their warm bed and the safety of their village. Most of all, she wanted to eat something that wasn't full of mold nor made her want to hurl.
After his initial attack, Krogan and his dagger had been her daily visitors. He'd come at dawn to taunt her and renew the carvings at her feet. He'd question her about Berk and her defenses, her allies and their spies. Astrid had wanted to snort; as if she'd tell him. When the answers were not to his liking (meaning always) he'd flex his dagger and carve swirls up her calves. Her left leg had more scars than her right.
Pretty, he had called it, to match your husband, and proceeded to carve around the skin just below her knee.
Astrid gritted her teeth and glared throughout. Yet he seemed to enjoy tearing groans, grunts, and whimpers from her throat. Her screams seemed to elate him. And when she refused to give him that pleasure, he took it as a challenge. Each time his dagger carved her skin, he'd twist and press deeper, cutting into muscle.
And when he was gone the torture never really stopped.
The guards had made a game out of her sleep, banging the bars and scratching the door each time she tried to rest. Bastards; they laughed and yelled, taking her blanket and making lewd comments. How they would keep her warm and fed if she paid them with her mouth. How they'll take care of her and her body if they got to use it first. One had tried to touch her hair and she had bit his finger off.
The busted nose and lip had been worth it.
At her few minutes of peace and quiet, she'd curl into a ball at the far corner of her cell, wrap the fraying blanket around herself and talk. She'd whisper nonsense and sweet nothings to her swell. Sing lullabies and mutter promises to her unborn child. Her little Terror had become restless lately. It'd move and turn and kick at her organs and she'd have to hide and muffle her pained groans. The most action happened during the night in her peacefulness. When Krogan was around her babe would be still, as if understanding the imminent danger they were in. So she'd talk and sing and whisper at it, praying no one would hear or notice her.
That's how he finds her.
Krogan storms in one day (or night, she had lost her sense of time in her underground prison) cutting her lullaby short. Her breath catches in her lungs; He has his dagger out. His last cuts were still raw and bleeding, was he going to cut them open again?
He walks towards her with purpose and Astrid barely holds herself still. Not that she can go anywhere. In her state, he'll catch her before she could get away.
"What do you want now?" she sneers at him, seeing his angry expression.
"Your husband is a fool," he spits. "He knows I have his precious wife and Heir and he still insists on being a thorn at my side."
"I told you he's not that naive boy you knew." She tries not to let her fear show in her voice. "He won't change his plan to take you down. Not even for me."
"Maybe he needs a reminder."
He is on her before she knows it. He drags her up by her throat and Astrid yelps as her feet touch the ground. Her legs almost buckling and she can feel the blood running down her shin. She bites her busted lip and glares at her captor.
"Bastard," she growls and Krogan smirks. He changes his grip to her hair and flips the dagger up to her face.
"It's either going to be your hair or your ear. I'll be kind and let you choose, my dear," he whispers with a grin. Astrid sneers and spits at his face.
He stops for a second, closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath.
"Do that again and I'll carve your belly next. See if your bastard survives."
He has her; he knows she'll do anything to keep her baby alive. Astrid bites her lip and gives him her iciest glare. Krogan merely laughs in amusement.
"Good girl."
And he rips her small braid out.
She screams in pain. It's not all out so he cuts the rest of it off. Her head pulses and she feels blood on her face. He shoves her on her knees and she cradles her head while he's leaving. Her small braid twisted in his fist.
She smothers her whimpers as his laughter echoes through her cell.
The healer finds her shivering again.
He clicks his tongue and glares at the guards. "Did they take your blanket again?"
Astrid doesn't grace him with an answer, too busy trying to make her shivering stop. He steps forward and begins his examination, all the while trying to hide her body from the peeking guards. They snicker and make lewd gestures, whistling when they catch sight of her breasts. Beasts; Astrid makes sure to tune them out.
"Lady Haddock?" he is a young thing, the healer; pale with bright eyes and quick fingers. Every time she swears she can see the gears turning in his head at his every move. He is a bit like her Hiccup, like that.
"Lady Haddock, are you alright?" Astrid sees his hand too close to her face and she flinches. He pulls back almost immediately, "You are crying. Are you in pain?"
"No."
He frowns and then hurries through his examination, lest the guards continue. "Your head will be fine. What worries me is your weight. You are underfed. Have they given you more than bread and water?"
Astrid almost snorts. "I am a prisoner of war if you haven't noticed."
His jaw flexes and shoots a quick glance at the guards. "It won't be long now. Every day he reaches closer to his goal."
Astrid sneers and shoves him off her. She doesn't want this, his pity, his fake comfort. Krogan reaching his goal is far from the happy ending this fool thinks of.
"I hope you know he will kill you. All of you. When he gets what he wants, and when he has no further use for you, he won't want any loose ends. He will kill and bury you all without a second thought."
She loves the silence that follows. The guards go quiet and are looking uncomfortable; they know she is right. Astrid revels in their fear.
The look on the healer's face though makes her pause. Determined eyes shine back at her as if trying to convey something else, something hidden. She runs his words again in her mind and she barely holds back her gasp.
"We will see about that, Lady Haddock."
He leaves her in her cell with hope bubbling up her chest. Hiccup is coming, and he is getting closer by the day.
She falls asleep trying and failing to smother the grins from her face.
:::
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[part iv]
Her fight renewed.
After her outburst, most guards left her alone. Those that didn't were met with her biting tongue and sharp glares, reminding everyone exactly who she was. She wasn't a simple maiden, a stupid girl that was caught in the crossfire.
No.
She was the Lady Haddock; wife of the greatest Hooligan Chief. In her belly, she carried the famed Dragon Master's Heir. She was her Tribe's General; after the chief, both the Berkian army and Dragon Riders answered to her directly. She was the second most powerful person, the most powerful woman, in the entire Barbaric Archipelago.
She was to be treated accordingly.
So the guards left her alone. Most interactions the past few weeks had been with the healer. The young man was coming and going to both check on her and deliver news. Each sliver of information made her shake in excitement. Soon she'd be out of this cell. Soon her cell's door would break down by her beautiful girl. Soon she'd be able to bury her face in her Hiccup's chest.
Oh, how she missed her doofus husband. Many times she had woken up from dreams and memories of his hugs and smiles and kisses. Last night, she had dreamt of when she had told him they'd be parents. He had been so excited he could hardly sit down. She had woken up with the memory of his smile and his laughter as he hugged her tight.
Astrid felt her eyes well with tears. Her hand fell on her belly and caressed her big bump.
"Soon." She whispered as the guards fell in step right outside her cell.
Soon they'll be out and where they truly belonged.
There was something poking her belly.
Astrid looked down as she munched a bread piece. Huddling in the corner away from the door, she pushed her shift up. Intently she watched the pale flesh.
One, two, three, four… She let her finger hover over a spot on the side. There was a gentle flutter before something pushed against her finger. Astrid gave her bump a smile.
"Hello to you too, my little one." She cooed and cupped her swollen flesh. She had grown over the last few weeks. By her calculations, she was nearing the end of her sixth month. Her lips tugged to a frown. Four months; that's how long she'd been in that hellhole. Four months of Krogan and his dagger, of his cruel words and torture, of starvation and sleep deprivation. Four months of pure hell; Astrid was ready to finally go home.
Another flutter made her look back down at her belly and smile. It wouldn't be long now; Astrid could barely hold back her grin.
The healer had left her with hopeful news the last time he visited. Patrol had spotted some Dragon Scouts and the Hunters were in an uproar. That, coupled with Krogan being away for the week was enough to keep them all on their toes. Handling a few Riders was easy; handling the enraged Dragon Master with his troops as he searched for his wife was a bit above their pay grade.
Astrid could hardly contain her mirth.
When a foot pressed against her skin one more time, she started humming. She gently stroke her fussy child and bore down a few kicks in her bladder. "Ow, my Terror, what exactly are you doing in there?"
Just like his father this one, hardly able to stay still even for a minute. Hissing she continued her humming, waiting patiently for the young healer to come again to check their health and deliver more news of the outside world. Last time he was waiting on news of her rescuing party. The fact that she was only hours away from Hiccup had made her too excited to stand still. Maybe today he had finally an answer. Maybe today was the day she'd be freed.
Astrid took a breath. It wouldn't do any good if she was found out. She had to be patient, to wait.
"Soon, my little one."
It wouldn't be long now.
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TL;DR: Astrid is a prisoner of war while pregnant, and Krogan is being an angry asshole camper that thinks is in charge.