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nottmodr · 3 days ago

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Flight of the Valkyrie (8) Following Through

This fic is not dead, just not planned and will update as I come up with stuff.

This chapter is gross. TW for blood.

Ao3

Hiccup woke up to snoring. It wasn’t his father’s usual deep, rattle your chest, shake the house snores. Rather, they were softer, lighter, a bit of a whine at the end.

He then realized he was laying on the snorer’s chest, his face practically stuck to them with sweat.

He wracked his brain. Where in the world—what had happened last night? Had he finally succumbed to his evil nature??

Oh wait, no. He got married yesterday. This was just Astrid.

His wife!

Carefully, as not to wake her, he pulled away from her and looked down at his bride.

She slept so peacefully. Her hair sprawled over the pillows like the plumage of a radiant bird. All her muscles were relaxed and she almost looked dainty.

On her chest, there was a red mark where he had been, and a single boob fell out of her robe.

He forced himself to look at it.

For years, women’s breasts held a power over him. They were practically a threat, warning him of the dangers of his corrupt soul. They made him bitter, for as long as they existed, he was a problem.

But now, after a very embarrassing conversation, he realized he had it all wrong. There was no evil he couldn’t control. All his longings and urges had been perfectly natural.

And breasts weren’t evil either. They were actually pretty awesome. They made milk for babies after all!

He forced himself to stare at her breast, trying to change his entire perception of the thing.

He didn’t feel aroused, likely because he was trying too hard, but he also didn’t feel shame. It was his wife’s breast. He was allowed to look. Encouraged even!

“Seeing something you like?” Astrid’s groggy voice asked.

He whipped his head up to look at her. Her eyes were closed, but she had stopped snoring.

She had figured him out!

Embarrassed, Hiccup flung himself to the other side of the bed, now realizing he was still naked too. “Gods!”

Astrid shifted a little, tucking herself back into her robe. “I was just teasing you, babe. Nothing to be ashamed about.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he just slid onto the floor and out of sight, while looking for clothes.

“Babe?”

“I’m sorry,” he breathed. “I just…need more time.”

“That’s okay too, Hiccup. I just want you to be comfortable.”

He peeked up over the edge of the bed.

“So just tell me what would help.”

He drummed his fingers on the edge, considering her offer genuinely. “I don’t really know…just, keep being you, I guess?”

She smiled back, brightly. “That, I can do.”

—-

They arrived in the Great Hall at a decent time. It certainly seemed like they hadn’t been expected so early. Nevertheless, the newlyweds were escorted to a table and served breakfast.

A good portion of the tribe and their guests were gathered, all enjoying the party that continued through the night. Actually, it looked like a good few of those around were still there, never having gone home.

Well, as long as everyone was having fun, Hiccup figured they couldn’t be mad at him.

They were quickly joined by Ingrid and Sigurd, one sister taking a seat beside either of them.

“Morning!” Ingrid chirped.

“How was it?” Sigurd shamelessly asked.

Hiccup hunched his shoulders, embarrassed.

Astrid gave a deep laugh, a redness spreading over her cheeks. “Oh that? Well, I don’t want to embarrass Hiccup, but…”

“Astrid…” he hissed, horrified that she’d even comment on it.

“I’ll just say I’m so lucky I train so much. I thought I had stamina! But holy Freya!”

Hiccup’s eyes went wide, as he realized she was lying. Quite convincingly, he might add.

“No,” Ingrid scoffed. “Really? Him?”

Astrid nodded, and then quickly held her hands up a little less than a foot apart.

“Really?!” Sigurd laughed incredulously.

“Astrid!” Hiccup yelped as he realized what she was divulging, only adding credence to her story.

The girls giggled among themselves as Hiccup blushed furiously and avoided eye-contact. He looked to the next table over and saw Ack, one of the fishermen looking at him. He gave Hiccup a nod and a thumbs up.

Great.

Though, considering the rumors that spread about him, he assumed this would be a better one. At least he hoped. He always assumed the size of his thing was directly related to how evil he was. It did get bigger as he got older. He just assumed eventually it would take control of him like some sort of horrible parasite.

But based on the narrative Astrid was creating, maybe bigger was a good thing?

He’d have to ask her later.

Conversation steered away from the consummation and into more polite waters.

Then the chiefs arrived and called Hiccup and Astrid up to engage in the final tradition of the union:

The Morning Gift.

Or the ‘Thank you for your virginity’ gift, as Gobber called it.

Hiccup walked with confidence. Given the way Stoick and Gobber had reacted to his gift, for once, Hiccup was certain this would be a hit.

The assembled crowd fell silent as Hiccup addressed his bride.

He cleared his throat. “Astrid, my lovely wife, thank you for so generously agreeing to marry me. To you, I present this axe I made with my own two hands.”

It was just as heavy as it had been the day he made it, but he still had to put some heft in it to lift it up and present it.

Her eyes went wide, almost sparkling with excitement. “It’s beautiful! You made this?!”

“A Hiccup Haddock special,” he chuckled. Then he twisted the sheath on the handle and transformed the blade into a pole axe.

She gasped and started to dance on her toes in excitement. “No way! No way no way!!”

He grinned widely as he held it out for her.

She took it eagerly, backing up into the room to have plenty of space. Then she tested it out, flipping it around in the air with practiced ease.

The assembled oh’ed and ah’ed at her movements.

Hiccup just watched in pride and adoration.

Just like his father had, she figured out how to transform the blade mid-throw and caught it as it clicked back into place.

“So…do you like it?”

She beamed at him, barely containing a joy that couldn’t be measured. She set the axe on the table beside him before giving her response. She grabbed him around the waist, hoisted him into her arms, and kissed him with gusto.

Hiccup grabbed hold of her collar for stability.

“I think she likes it, lad!” Gobber called out, good natured.

Astrid pulled away with a smack, but didn’t set him down. She just looked deeply into his eyes, her smile turning soft. “It’s perfect.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

She set him down eventually, accompanied by a smattering of giggles from the tribe.

But he didn’t care all that much. Not when Astrid was looking at him like that.

Astrid’s family all gathered around her to gush over the axe. Even her parents and Birger were there, pointing out the little details he’d added.

Hiccup felt pretty damn good.

He took the moment to excuse himself to the kegs and get something to drink. They were in the back corner of the room, away from where everyone else was.

And unfortunately for him, a support pillar blocked him from Astrid’s view.

As Hiccup poured himself a glass of water, a hand grabbed his throat while another shoved a gag in his mouth.

Hiccup tried to fight and scream, absolutely scandalized that anyone would do this to him in broad daylight and in public!

But whoever it was had obviously been planning it for a while. One guess to who.

Dagur yanked Hiccup’s arms behind his back and tied them tightly with a rope. Then he stealthily made his way towards the door, shielding his captive from sight with his body.

They made it outside, and the village of Berk was none the wiser.

“Fools,” Dagur chuckled.

Hiccup protested, yelling, though muffled the whole time. It went unheard among the hungover din of the crowd.

Dagur tucked him under his arm like a bedroll and carried him off through the mostly abandoned streets.

This too was coordinated, as Dagur took the long way across town, where people were less likely to see them.

“That was a good trick last night, getting the oaf to protect you? Well played! I should have known not to mess with you when there were so many eyes on you. But now that you're unimportant again, see how easily I got you out of there? Your wife, your father, no one noticed! And they won’t notice you're gone for a few hours still!”

Hiccup kicked his legs, trying to get Dagur to drop him. Even bound and gagged, if he could get to his feet, he could run into the woods.

He could get to Toothless.

“Anyway, I saved that barrel of pig’s blood. It’s not going to be as pretty today because you aren’t wearing your fancy clothes, but red just suits you so well, I think it’ll work!”

He never stopped fighting, even as they reached the storehouse. Dagur carried him inside and closed the door. Then he removed the gag.

“Dagur, you are making a huge mistake!”

“Now now,” Dagur waved a dagger in his face. “What are the rules?”

In a quieter voice, he continued, “no seriously, once Astrid sees I’m missing, she’ll come looking. If she finds me like this, she’ll kill you!”

“Like I’m worried about that bitch hurting me. She might be a good warrior, but she’s still a woman.”

Woman or not, she’ll kick your ass. Hiccup thought, but knew it would be like talking to a brick wall, so he didn’t say anything.

Dagur pried the lid off of a barrel, and Hiccup was hit with the stench of rotting blood. It made him gag immediately and he wretched.

“Pretty great, huh?” Dagur chuckled. “In you go!”

He held Hiccup by the ankles and dunked him in the barrel.

With his hands bound, all Hiccup could really do was stick out his elbows to try to stop it. It didn’t work, and he was plunged into week-old pigs’ blood. The liquid invaded his nose and mouth, despite him clenching up tight and holding his breath.

Dagur held him down for a few seconds before pulling him out and dunking him again and again, only giving him a scant chance to catch his breath in between.

“Say ‘thank you Dagur!’”

Hiccup sputtered and spat, the taste of rot and iron thick on his tongue. “I hate you!”

Dagur dunked him quickly. “I said, ‘say thank you!’”

“No!”

Dagur dropped him on the floor and punched him in the stomach, making him vomit. “You’re not supposed to scream, Useless. You know that!”

Hiccup tried to just curl up on himself and check out. If he could go limp and just let this happen, eventually Dagur would get bored.

The stench was agonizing, and his eyes burned, despite his best efforts. His lungs ached, and his throat and sinuses flooded with blood.

Dagur dropped him head first into the barrel and pressed down on his feet, trapping him there.

Just when Hiccup thought Dagur might actually kill him in the most horrific way possible, he pulled him out of the barrel and dropped him on the floor.

Hiccup coughed and spat, trying to get the blood out of him, but it was so sticky and thick it wouldn’t be that simple. He needed water. He kept his eyes clenched shut, trying to keep the burning from getting worse.

Dagur knocked the barrel over and made it spill across the floor, contaminating everything in the storagehouse.

“Oh, Hiccup! Look what you did! Now all these winter supplies are ruined! They splurged on your wedding, and now what you left them with is ruined.”

Hiccup sobbed, feeling truly Useless.

Dagur slammed his boot into Hiccup’s back. “And of course, as usual, if you tattle on me, whatever I get in punishment, you get ten-fold.”

Hiccup craned his head up, trying to avoid the blood puddle on the floor.

“You understand, little buddy?”

“Y-yes…”

“Good.” Dagur stepped off of him and walked out, a spring in his step as he went.

Hiccup just laid there, breathing harshly as his arms were still pinned behind his back.

What was he supposed to do now? What did he say? Surely everyone will want to know why the food was ruined. If he told the truth, Dagur would retaliate and do worse than half-drowning him. But if he took the blame…

Everyone already hated him. He would endure a lecture and verbal abuse, but nothing physical would happen.

He might get spanked, but he figured that was still better than whatever Dagur would do. He knew he was capable of worse.

He heard voices outside and struggled to get to his feet.

The door opened. “Whoa! It is blood! It’s everywhere!” Tuffnut’s voice echoed in the wooden room.

Hiccup was able to get up to his knees, but had to rest.

“Whoa, Hiccup? Is that you?” Ruffnut asked.

He figured she could only tell by his small frame. He was drenched in blood, red from head to toe.

“Yeah,” he croaked.

“What the Hel happened to you?” Snotlout asked. “What’s with all the blood?”

Instead of answering, he said, “I can’t see. I have blood in my eyes.”

“Cool,” said Tuff.

“It hurts.”

“Still cool.”

“Why are your hands tied?” Snotlout asked, coming closer. “What did you do?”

Hiccup said nothing, but allowed him to cut the rope and set him free. Once free, he got to his feet. “Can you lead me out to the well? I need to flush out my eyes. Please…”

There was silence, evidently as the three looked at each other.

“Oh come on, he said ‘please’.” Ruffnut argued.

“I’m not touching him!” Snotlout protested. “He reeks!”

“I know!” Said Ruff. She scurried around, and then Hiccup was poked in the back with a stick. “Forward!”

Hiccup groaned, but shuffled on ahead. He was poked and prodded along, but not rushed. And thankfully Snotlout would warn him of steps to take.

A part of him worried that he shouldn’t have trusted them. He had no choice, and was actively blind, but what if they led him off a cliff? What if they led him into the woods and made him stumble his way home?

“Okay, wait here.” Snotlout halted the walk.

Hiccup heard the winch at the well, and relaxed a bit. They were being helpful for once!

Why?

A wet rag smacked him in the face as one of them scrubbed his eyes. “There,” said Snotlout. “Better?”

Hiccup held out his hand for the rag, and finished washing it himself. He blinked hard several times, prying his lids open, but he could see!

The twins and Snotlout stared at him in concern. Of course, it would be extremely jarring to see anyone drenched in blood, friend or foe.

But they weren’t the only ones. A good two dozen villagers stood a little ways away, halting in their day time revelry to stare at him in horror.

“Hiccup!” His father yelled.

Hiccup flinched heavily and drew his shoulders up.

“Hiccup! What happened?!”

Astrid and her family were closely behind, all witnessing his humiliation.

“Chief,” Hamish said, coming from the store house. “There’s rotten blood all over the floor of the store house. Looks like someone had a barrel of it in there. It’s soaked into everything on the bottom layer.” He breathlessly shrugged. “I don’t know if we can salvage it.”

Stoick’s worried expression morphed into something intense. Not quite rage, but panic on the verge of anger. “What. Happened?” He snapped.

The truth would have been easy at the moment, but the scar on his arm tingled, like a tiny alarm warning him of what could happen if he revealed Dagur was responsible.

So he just said, in the most pathetic voice possible, “it was an accident.”

The assembled crowd began yelling. People called him names, they wept, they waved their fists at him, and he couldn’t blame them at all.

“What?!” Stoick barked.

Hiccup nodded and swallowed, the bitter iron taste still coating his mouth and throat. “I’m sorry,” he croaked.

Stoick slapped him, right across the face, with a loud and disorienting clap.

Hiccup staggered slightly and then hung his head.

“How did this happen?! You promised you were done with these stunts! And you!” He pointed at Astrid. “You’re supposed to watch him!”

“It’s not her fault!” Hiccup shouted. “Don’t put this on her!”

“She’s here to prevent these mishaps! We had a wedding, we had a feast, I gave the Shivering Shores a pound of gold! And for what? You turn around and destroy our winter stores?! What is wrong with you, Hiccup?!”

Hiccup clenched his fists and held back a sob.

It was better this way. He’d take the blame, and Dagur would smugly go home, and Hiccup would be free from pain and stitches until his next visit.

“You have nothing to say? Just sorry? What in the name of Odin were you doing?!”

Hiccup didn’t answer, just kept his head down.

Stoick scoffed at him, and turned to Astrid. “Get him cleaned up, then take him back to the house. This is what we mean, Astrid. He needs constant supervision. Hopefully you see that now.”

Hiccup didn’t look at her, his wife. He couldn’t bear to see her expression. The hate and resentment started now, he knew.

“Yes sir,” she said, her voice flat. She looked at Hiccup expectantly and raised an eyebrow.

He nodded and led her towards the woods.

“You going to show me that secret spring so we can talk in private?” She asked, softly.

He nodded again.

Once they were into the woods, Astrid prodded, “so what was the idea?”

“What?”

“Behind the barrel of blood. What were you trying to do? Let’s workshop it.”

He folded his arms. “I’d rather not.”

“Okay, if you want to scrap it, that’s fine, but what were you trying to do?”

“Can we drop it?”

“No? I know you’re upset, but you should at least have an explanation. You didn’t just spill a bunch of blood on the floor for no reason, right?”

He didn’t answer. He couldn’t lie to Astrid, so he said nothing.

She pressed him. “Right?”

He sighed and hurried his steps.

“Hiccup!”

He ignored her and pushed on.

“You made that axe! It’s genius! It’s the most amazing weapon I’ve ever seen! So much thought went into it! I don’t care that whatever it was didn’t work! Just tell me what you were thinking!”

“I wasn’t.” He croaked. “Just…just drop it. Please.”

“Hiccup…”

“Please.”

She huffed, disappointed. “Fine.”

At this point, they’d reached a rock wall. There was a small cave opening, but you couldn’t see it from this side. You had to loop around before you could see the entryway.

Hiccup turned to Astrid. “Um…this is it. I’m just…” he pointed at the cave. “I’ll be here. I have a lot of scrubbing to do.”

“I’m going to help.”

He blushed, though she couldn’t see it. “Right, um…could you get me a change of clothes and some soap first?”

“That, I can do.”

“Thank you.” He ran his hand through his sticky, slimy hair on instinct. “I’m sorry.”

She frowned at him. “If you explain it to me, I won’t be mad.”

He hung his head. “I can’t. I just…I messed up. That’s it.”

She scoffed loudly and turned towards the village. “This communication? Not a good start to our marriage.”

He shuffled away from her. “…sorry.”

“Instead of apologizing, why don’t you fix it?”

He wanted to. He wanted so badly to tell her everything, but fear kept him silent. Fear that she’d only see him as more weak and pathetic than she first thought. Fear that she’d retaliate on Dagur. Fear that Dagur would make good on his threat, because he always did. Fear that this cycle would forever continue.

No, he needed to stop it now.

“I’ll wait in the spring,” he whimpered, and scooted into the cave before he had to see anymore disappointment.

In the low light of the cave, Hiccup took the wooden path built by his ancestors to the spring he preferred. There were three springs within the cavern. A large one, a deep one, and one that was a bit more intimate. Two people could fit comfortably. Besides the springs, there were several shallow caverns around the edges, stocked with emergency supplies. Maybe there were clothes in there, but he didn’t know and didn’t feel like digging.

In the very center of the cave, there was a skylight in the ceiling that let in sunlight. Under it was a patch of grass, flowers, and a small tree. Hiccup shucked off his ruined clothes and dunked them in one of the other springs. He scrubbed them against the stone and tried to rinse them clean. They were likely forever stained.

He draped the clothing over the edge and then submerged into the small spring. He rubbed his hands over his arms and body, trying to scrub himself clean, but it wouldn’t do much until Astrid returned.

Truthfully, he’d sent her off with the hopes of being alone for a minute. Now that he was, the pain came bubbling out in tormented sobs. Dagur’s torture, the cruelty of the tribe, the slap from his father…

He’d been so happy when he woke up this morning. Astrid was beside him, smiling up at him with warm, friendly eyes. His father had been proud of his work. His in-laws were impressed. Everything was finally turning up Hiccup.

But it was never meant to be. The gods hated him, after all.

He knew it was too good to be true.

—

Astrid followed the narrow path back to the village, making sure to memorize any landmarks to find her way back. As she emerged onto the main path, she almost bumped into a pair of twins.

“Excuse me,” she tried to move past them.

“We were looking for you!” said the girl.

“Yeah! We gotta tell you something.”

Astrid frowned. “Okay? Ruffnut and Tuffnut, right?”

“Thornston twins, at your service,” said the boy. She still wasn’t sure which one was Ruff and which was Tuff.

“We were the ones that found Hiccup in the storehouse,” said the girl.

“Right. And normally we don’t really care what Hiccup gets up to—“

“—unless it’s really cool and destructive.”

“But there was blood everywhere this time, so we went to investigate.”

“Snotlout was with us, and so was Fishlegs. They didn’t really want to investigate, and Fishlegs stayed behind—“

“Does this story have a point?” Astrid snipped.

“Uh, yeah? We’re setting up context?” The girl said.

“Well excuse me,” Astrid said sarcastically, though they didn’t seem to pick up on it. “Please, continue.”

“Anywho, we went in and found him laying on the floor.”

“Yeah, and well, something seemed weird. Like a strange vibe in the air.”

“I had a little needling sensation, right here,” the boy pointed at his chest. “I don’t know why, but we had to tell someone. You or the chief.”

“That…he was laying on the floor?” Astrid asked.

“Oh, no no,” the girl laughed. “No, his hands were tied.”

Astrid felt a chill run down her spine. “What?”

“And tightly too! Snotlout had to cut through with a knife.”

“And they were tied behind his back,” the boy added, demonstrating. “I don’t know how he did it.”

With dawning horror, Astrid pleaded, “You need to go tell the chief. Tell him everything you told me.”

“Why us?”

“You were witnesses. He won’t believe it if it comes from me.”

The twins shared a look and then shrugged. “Guess so. Don’t see what the big deal is.”

“You don’t—? Someone did this to him. Hiccup didn’t knock over the barrel, rather, someone probably put him in it.”

“Oooooohhhhhhh that makes more sense.”

“Things just got interesting.”

“Yeah, we should listen for that needling feeling more often!”

Astrid ran the rest of the way back to the village, intent on grabbing clothes and soap and booking it back to interrogate her husband.

—-

Hiccup settled in the water, the skin of his face tight from dried tears. He’d gotten it out, determined to school himself into something neutral before Astrid arrived.

“Hiccup?” She called from the entryway.

“I’m in here,” he replied. His voice was hoarse and thick with grief, even as he had gargled spring water to clear the blood.

Astrid strode in, bucket under her arm. She entered with purpose but halted as she looked around. “Wow, this is really nice.”

He couldn’t help but smile slightly. “It’s part of the privilege.”

She started towards him again, kneeling on the ground behind him. She set his clean clothes to the side and got to work lathering his hair.

“You don’t have to—“

“Shut up and let me.”

Hiccup gulped and opted to sit stock still, a little afraid of her.

She scrubbed his scalp, making sure his hair was thoroughly sudsed up. Then she used the bucket to rinse him and repeated the process.

She didn’t say a word, and neither did he. She was rather rough in her scrubbing, and he assumed she was taking her frustrations out on him.

But she was cleaning him. If she was truly repulsed, she would have shoved the bucket at him and told him to do it himself.

Or did she just think he’d mess this up too?

He couldn’t tell.

“Turn around,” she demanded, once his hair was rinsed clean.

Hiccup obediently knelt on the stone ledge, facing her. He raised up so that his chest was above water, but everything else was submerged.

Astrid took a rag and wiped his face. Hiccup had wiped what he could off, but obviously missed some spots as she rubbed at the creases of his nose and his ears.

She took hold of his chin and tilted his face this way and that, examining him. “Better.”

Then she kissed him. A soft, delicate, tiny kiss that lasted just a few seconds.

Hiccup blinked several times when she pulled away. Confused, baffled, surprised, he didn’t know how to feel. Just that he hadn’t expected her to ever kiss him again of her own accord.

She rested the rag and soap at the edge of the spring, then sat sideways to relax. “When you’re ready, I want you to tell me who did this to you.”

Hiccup jerked away from her, crouching down to his chin in the water. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She rolled her eyes. “I talked to the Twins. They said you had your hands tied when they found you.”

He sank down to his nose.

“Why didn’t you just say so? Why did you take the blame?”

“I can’t tell you.” He emerged enough to say.

“Why not? Did they threaten you?”

Hiccup didn’t respond, which he guessed she took as a ‘yes’.

“Was it that Mildew man? The one that called you a rapist?”

He shook his head no.

“Then who? You can tell me, Hiccup. I’m here to protect you. That’s the reason we got married, remember?”

She wasn’t going to drop it. Not unless he could convince her to let it go.

Maybe she would realize it was safer for him to just leave it like this. Hiccup slowly floated over to her again. “I really can’t tell you who. He…he said whatever punishment is dealt, he’ll return to me ten-fold.”

“And you believe him?”

“He’s done it before.” Reluctantly, he revealed his underarms to her. It was only a matter of time before she noticed, and it was only luck that she hadn’t by now.

Astrid let out a strangled gasp as she took in the scars on his arms. Several faded lines that were self-inflicted all the way up to his elbow. But on his right arm, in harsh, jagged, thick scarred lines, the word ‘useless’ was carved into his skin.

“Babe…” she squeaked, drawing her fingers over the scar.

“He’s a man of his word. So if I tell, he gets in trouble, he hurts me, I tell again, he gets in trouble again…I can’t. I can’t do that cycle. So…I knocked the barrel of blood over. All by myself.” He took his arm away and hid it under the water again. “Not much to lose anyway.”

She lifted his chin again, staring deep into his eyes. “Am I nothing to you?”

His eyes widened. “N-no! No that’s not what I meant! Astrid I—“ he shut his eyes, not able to look at her. “I knew this would happen eventually. I’d mess up and you’d be disgusted or angry…I really enjoyed our fun time together, but I’m not dumb enough to pretend that it’ll last forever.”

“Look at me.”

He carefully peeled his eyes open, only to find her leaning into his space.

“Hiccup, you are really mean to yourself, you know that?”

“Um…sorry?”

“I’m not disgusted with you. I’m not mad, I’m not upset, I’m not like everyone else out there. I was just confused. I wanted to understand.”

He tried to look away, but she had a firm grip on his chin.

“You don’t have to do this. You can be honest with me.”

“He’ll be gone in a few days, and then it won’t matter.”

“Hiccup, of course it will still matter. He’ll get away with hurting the Chief’s son, and everyone in the tribe will believe you sabotaged the food. Is that what you want?”

He frowned. “You do realize you’re just asking me to pick between physical pain and emotional pain, right?”

“No, I’m asking you to pick between the truth that will help you, or a lie that will hurt you. I’m not going to let him get you.”

“Oh yeah? He kidnapped me twice in the last two days. You won’t always be there.”

“Twice?”

“This morning and last night.”

“You—last night? Really? I didn’t…wait, are you saying this is a guest?”

Hiccup did that thing where he didn’t answer and allowed his silence to be a confirmation.

“That’s unacceptable.”

He grabbed her arm. “Please don’t do anything.”

“Hiccup—“

“I know you’ll protect me, but he’ll wait for the opportune moment. When I have to pee or he’ll break in the house while we’re asleep.”

“He wouldn’t dare!”

“He has and he will. Just—just drop it Astrid, please.”

She looked like she was going to protest and start interrogating him. But instead, she let out a slow exhale. “Fine. He gets away with it for now.”

Hiccup sighed too.

“But if he ever lays a finger on you again—“

He shook his head. “That’s sweet, but it’s not going to help.”

“It will if I know who to watch out for.”

He tapped his fingers on the rock. “I’ll tell you later. When he’s gone.”

“You better.”

—-

Once Hiccup was cleaned up, he and Astrid returned to the village. He’d be expected to be secluded with Astrid for the rest of the week on their honeymoon. He was only happy that she knew the truth now, or at least enough of the truth, and wouldn’t continue to press him about it.

As they entered the village proper, tribesmen stopped and glared as they passed. A few times, he was even spat at.

The storehouse was open and supplies were strewn across the lawn. Dozens of people were sorting through to see what they could salvage.

Hiccup shook his head in defeat.

“Come on,” Astrid urged, resting a hand on his back.

Hiccup kept his head down as they crossed through the village. Even then, he could hear everyone hurling insults.

“Thanks!” He called back, on reflex. “Oh yep! That’s a good one!”

“Still think it’s worth the lie?”

“Can you please let it go?” He huffed. “I already made my bed. Now let me cry in it.”

Astrid shrugged but didn’t press it.

When they arrived at the Haddock home, they were not alone. Stoick, Chief Axel and Phlegma, and Astrid’s sisters were there, all gathered around the fire. They halted their conversation as the door opened and stared expectantly at them.

“Oh gods…” Hiccup murmured.

“Come on in.” Stoick beckoned with his fingers.

“Uh, is-is this the part where you tell me you’re shipping me off to the Shivering Shores?”

“No. Come here.”

Shyly, Hiccup approached his father, only for Stoick to gently grab his chin and tilt his face to the side.

He was examining where he’d slapped him.

“Left a mark,” he grunted.

“Yeah well…I deserved it. And whatever else is coming.”

Stoick shook his head. “I am angry, Hiccup. Very angry.”

“I know.”

“You lied to me.”

“I—I did?” He swallowed.

“Aye. So now you’re going to tell me the truth.”

“But—“

“And I know what the truth is. I did a little investigating of my own. So I want you to tell me the truth, starting from yesterday.”

Hiccup’s glance flicked over to Birger, who was standing in the corner. The man gave him a simple nod.

Knowing it was pointless, Hiccup sighed. “Fine. Fine! It was Dagur! Dagur the Deranged!” He started pacing. “Last night, he caught me coming from the outhouse and he put me in a choke hold and dragged me off. He told me he had a barrel of pig's blood with my name on it. Birger saw us and rescued me and threw Dagur off a cliff.”

“Really?” Astrid asked, delighted.

Birger gave another nod.

“This morning, he got me when I went to get water. He squirrelled me out of the Great Hall and took me to the storage house…and then he proceeded to attempt to drown me in the promised barrel of pig’s blood. When he had his fun, he knocked the barrel over.”

“Why didn’t you just say so?” Phlegma asked, rightfully horrified.

Hiccup wrung his hands as anxiety began to coil in his stomach again. “Because…as usual, he warned if I tattled, he’d retaliate."

“Stoick, this is unacceptable. If this was my son, which he is now, I would ask to dissolve the alliance.”

“No!” Hiccup shouted. “No no! We need the Berserkers! Dad, don’t break off the treaty with them on my account! That’s not fair!”

“Hiccup,” Astrid rested a hand on his shoulder. “He almost killed you.”

“Yeah, but he wasn’t going to actually kill me. It’s just—it’s a little torture! It’s not that big of a deal!”

The room was silent.

“…or maybe I’m wrong?”

“Axel is right,” Stoick stated. “This is unacceptable. I’m sorry you ever felt the need to hide this.” He rested a hand on his shoulder. “You are the youngest in your generation of heirs, but that doesn’t mean you have to let another treat you this way. No one should treat you like this.”

Hiccup didn’t have a response to that, just awkwardly shrugged.

“Chief?” Astrid offered. “I’m sorry that I allowed this to happen—“

Stoick held up a hand. “Astrid, you did nothing wrong. I’m sorry about my anger earlier. We all believed that we would be safe around our guests.”

Astrid just smiled at him, accepting his apology.

“Hiccup, what did you mean by ‘as usual’? Has Dagur done this before?” Phlegma asked.

He swallowed and nodded. “Every time he comes to Berk he finds a way to mess with me. It’s been years.”

“Show them your arm,” Astrid demanded.

“Astrid…”

“Show them.”

“Your arm?” Asked Stoick.

Hiccup sighed, the word branded on his skin feeling ever true. He rolled up his sleeve and revealed the scars.

“Odin’s beard…”

“Oh you poor boy…”

Stoick stood abruptly. “I’ll murder him myself.”

“Dad! Dad!” Hiccup latched onto Stoick’s arm. “Don’t. Let it go. Please.”

“Let it go?! Hiccup, you would protect the man that hurt my heir? This injustice, this dishonor, it has to be rectified!”

“Whatever you do to him, he’ll do to me! He doesn’t forgive or forget! Dad, if you confront him, it’s a death sentence for me!”

Stoick considered it for a moment, and then looked at Astrid. Resolve steeled his gaze and he declared, “that’s why Astrid’s here.”

“Dad!” Hiccup protested, but it was too late. Stoick was storming out of the house.

Hiccup hurried after, grabbing at his cloak and his armor to slow him down. “You don’t know him like I do! He’s relentless! He’s broken into the house a dozen times! He’ll find me even when I think I'm safe! He always does!”

Nothing that Hiccup said seemed to cool his father’s wrath. Rather, it seemed the opposite.

“Where’s Oswald?!” Stoick bellowed, his voice echoing among the buildings.

Hiccup had heard his father pissed off before, hundreds of times, usually because of him, but never like this.

It made him cower back and step away from his father.

Astrid was right behind him, her hands landing on his shoulders as he bumped into her. “Oh I’m dead. I’m so so dead…”

Oswald came running from the barracks, surprise scrawled all over his face. Dagur strolled along a few paces back, unbothered.

“Stoick? What’s wrong?”

Stoick clenched his jaw. “Oswald, my friend, I have disturbing news.”

Because of Stoick’s shout, the tribe gathered in the square, curious to see what was going on.

He continued, “it seems that my son was not the one responsible for the blood in the storehouse. Rather, it was yours.”

Oswald looked at Dagur who shrugged nonchalantly. “Stoick, of course I mean no disrespect, but the evidence proves otherwise. He was covered in blood.”

“Yes, because your son tried to drown him in a barrel of the stuff. Dagur caused physical harm to my son, and indirect harm to my tribe.”

“I didn’t do anything! I wasn’t anywhere near the storehouse!” Dagur shouted, his manic gaze on Hiccup.

Hiccup tried to take a step back, but Astrid held him in place.

“We have witnesses that say that Hiccup was found with his hands tied behind his back. Besides that, our friend from the Gauls,” he gestured to Birger, “said he heard you tell Hiccup last night ‘I have a barrel of pigs’ blood with your name on it.’”

“Lies! It’s all lies! I would never hurt Hiccup! He’s my little brother!”

Birger stepped forward and cracked his knuckles. “You callin’ me a liar?”

“Yes!”

Oswald grabbed Dagur’s shoulder roughly and hissed at him, “you do not insult these people! Especially not him! The Gauls have gone to war for less!”

Dagur shifted his jaw.

“Did you do what they say? Did you shove Hiccup in a barrel of blood? Did you really do that?”

Dagur groaned. “Okay fine! You got me! But it was just a little prank! A little hazing for his wedding!”

“It wasn’t,” Hiccup blurted, his voice stronger than ever. “It was terrifying. I couldn’t breathe. I cried and begged for mercy, but you ignored me.” He stood up straighter. “A-and what’s worse, you turned my people against me! Your threats made me take the blame for this mess! My people will suffer because of your prank!” He balled his hands into fists and trembled under Dagur’s gaze. “I’m tired of being your punching bag, Dagur! It was fine when it was just me, but you hurt other people this time!”

“Oh shut up!” Dagur snapped. “You’re trying to be mister protector, mister altruism, but we both know no one here has any kind thoughts for you! You’re pathetic, weak, small, useless. You don’t deserve to exist! Every time I see you standing with your father I get so pissed off! You are a mistake of nature and you should have died years ago!”

“Enough!” Oswald grabbed Dagur by the ear and pulled.

“Ow ow ow ow!!”

“Shut your mouth, boy!”

“Oswald,” Stoick said, solemnly. “I have no ill will towards you, and I would very much like to keep our treaty. But your son’s actions leave me with no choice. I have to ban Dagur from ever stepping foot on Berk.”

Oswald nodded in agreement.

Dagur batted his father’s hand away. “Pft, is that all? Not much of a punishment. I didn’t want to come to this crappy island anyway.”

Astrid gave Hiccup’s shoulders a squeeze and stepped forward. “As for the matter of the dishonor you’ve shown my husband, that must be rectified.”

“Oh?” Dagur smirked.

Astrid began removing her armor. “A fight. No armor, no weapons, hand to hand. Right here, right now.”

Dagur chuckled and took off his helmet. “Really? That’s how you want to do it? Fine. You know you’ve never won a fight against me, right?”

Astrid stood up straight and flexed her shoulders.

“Astrid…” Hiccup fretted.

Axel nudged him and gave him a wink.

That was more confusing than reassuring.

Astrid and Dagur met in the center of the square and started circling each other. Then Dagur lunged at Astrid, swinging a wide haymaker at her head.

She caught his wrist with her hand and pulled him close, striking him in the stomach with her elbow.

He wheezed as the wind was knocked out of him.

“You always won because I went easy on you. It wouldn’t look good if the chief’s youngest daughter beat up the visiting chief's eldest son, now would it?”

Dagur fought for air as he scrambled to grapple her somehow.

Astrid simply heaved him over her shoulder and headed towards the outhouse.

“Lass?” Her father called.

“Just a second!” She chirped, before entering the latrine and closing the door.

Screams and cries for mercy echoed from the tiny structure. Garbled sounds of fear and terror emanated out, painting a rather gruesome image.

Astrid emerged alone, dusting her hands on her leggings. “That ought to suffice.”

A moment later, Dagur stumbled out, covered head to toe in…we’ll say mud, to keep your stomach from churning.

The tribe recoiled in disgust.

“Help!” Dagur sobbed. “It’s in my eyes!”

Astrid ignored him and came to stand before Hiccup. Then she got down on one knee in front of him and held his hand. “My dear husband, I have done this deed to restore your honor. Do you accept my offering?”

Hiccup blurted out a laugh before basically falling on her in a hug. “Thank you. You’re amazing.”

She stood, keeping her arms around him. “It was my pleasure.”

—-

That night, Hiccup laid awake, waiting for Astrid to drift off. She was snuggled up to his side, and had an arm draped over him.

It was really rather nice, but he had something to do.

Once her soft snores kicked in, Hiccup gently wormed his way out of her hold and crept downstairs.

It was dark out, with most people asleep besides the patrol. Oswald and Dagur had left earlier, after Dagur was doused in several cold buckets from the well and a dunk in Lars Lake.

Hopefully, Hiccup was truly safe for the time being.

He fetched a basket of fish and headed to the cove.

Once Toothless spotted him, he bounded around in excitement. He pranced right up to Hiccup, only to stop and sniff him. “Yeah, I thought you might notice. Boy, you thought yesterday was crazy, wait until I tell you what happened today!”

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