𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 | hiccup haddock

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒

Freya sighed, sitting on the ground of her cell, looking out the small barred window and watched the shining ocean go by. Sea stacks and islands dotted the endless, glimmering expanse, birds and dragons flying past, giving some life to the lonely landscape.

The brunette turned her head back again, watching the guards in front of her cells. "So, do you guys like, talk or anything?"

The guards looked at each other, merely rolling their eyes in response.

"I take that as a no." She fidgeted with a little pebble she found in her cage, then turned to Vincent; still unconscious on the cold, hard floor.

"How long does he take to wake up?" She grumbled to herself, even though she knew the reason. Standing up, the girl made her way over to the bars, and leant against it, looking out at the guards. "My friend here looks like he's about to die. Do you have anything to help? Because I don't think your boss will take kindly to a hostage dying under your watch."

The guards glanced at each other, then her, then Vincent. One of them grunted, and the other nodded. Jens started walking away, to another chamber.

"Thanks, I guess." She walked back to the window, and continued to stare out of it wistfully, missing her flights with her dragon in the tempting blue sky just out of reach.

Vincent woke up suddenly in cold sweat, breathing heavily. His eyes were half open, as he leaned against the wall.

"Oh my Thor, Vincent, you scared me!" Freya looked at him with her green gaze, eyes slightly narrowed as she judged his condition. "Feeling any better?"

He didn't answer, staring at the wall blankly. This felt like the Lycanwing all over again. He stared at Freya in fear, scanning the cell, scrambling to sit up.

"So... you're not feeling better? I need some verbal confirmation here, I'm not exactly telepathic." She sighed, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

He shook his head to clear it, but that was a bad idea. Groaning, he opened his mouth. It felt dry. Like... like before the full moon. He backed up against the wall, away from Freya."Full moon?" he managed to rasp.

"Nah, not till a few weeks, I'm pretty sure." She tilted her head, watching him intently. He looked at her blearily, confusion written across his face. "What's... happenin to me...?"

Freya merely responded with a shrug, turning her attention back to the window.

Vincent stared at her in... well his brain wasn't quite working.

She turned her head back. "Fine. So, you got grazed with an arrow made with dragon root. It's basically poisonous to dragons, and doesn't usually affect humans, but since you're a Lycanwing, it might have the same effects on you."

"Oh, and dragons don't normally survive without an antidote." With that, she turned her attention back to the window, watching the world slip away.

Vincent blinked hard.

" ... dead? " was all he made of that.

"I'm not sure if that'll happen to you. Anyways, one of the guards has gone to fetch someone to help, I think." He shivered, covering himself with his arms. A thought hit him hard, even through his drugged-induced state. " Temple? "

She shrugged, worry evident in her eyes. "I don't know what they did with the dragons." Vincent snorted. "Very reassuring."

"I know, right!" Freya responded, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Vincent frowned, drawing his knees closer, leaning his head in between them. He took a deep breath. 'Don't freak out... don't freak out...'

He licked his lips. A fish splashed in the water outside the boat. The wood creaked underneath him. He could hear low murmurs behind a wall. The dust blew against his face, and the tangy smell of... root? reached his nose. He shifted. He could feel the black spots at the edge of his vision come back.

A loud clang of boots approached. Hansen grunted a low 'welcome back' as Jens crouched down in front of the cell. He put down a mug containing weird purple liquid.

Vincent leaned his head back. He was ready to knock out again.

"Drink it, Vincent." Freya spoke, a stern edge to her tone. Vincent looked at her sleepily, his eyes closing. He made a low crooning sound, not unlike a dragon.

"I'll tip it down your throat if I have to." She threatened, only half-joking. He slumped, breath wheezing out of him. His thoughts became a bigger puddle.

"Screw this," Freya muttered, taking the mug and walking back to Vincent.

She knelt down on the floor next to him and, tipping his head backwards, eased his mouth open with one hand, and slowly poured the drink down with the other.

Vincent gagged, coughing and spluttering.

"Pull yourself together, you big baby." She murmured, continuing to pour it down. He slapped her hand away when it was all down, curling in on himself.

"It's done now, wasn't so hard, was it?" Freya wiped her hands on her clothes, talking more to herself than she was to Vincent.

Vincent gasped for breath, but it didn't seem to come as he collapsed sideways on the wooden floor. He clawed at his chest, the antidote settling into his blood.

Freya paused, fear rising in her stomach, before she rushed over to Vincent. "Vincent?!"

"What- What the fuck didyu... give me...?"

"I- I thought it would work!" She turned her head angrily, fixing her glare onto Hansen and Jens. "You said it would help!"

The guard slammed a hand on the bars. "Stop complaining. It works after a while." Jens grunted. Vincent managed to roll his eyes, before he turned to the side and gagged. Nothing came out, but it was still uncomfy.

"What the hell did you give him?" Freya stared at Vincent, shock, anger and worry battling in her gaze.

The guards didn't answer, and the next half day went by in torturing tenseness as Vincent continued writhing on the floor, until he passed out from exhaustion.

a/n: going to edit this book, and make it slightly better, but i'll still update! thanks for reading y'all, always means a lot to me <3