Hostage AU

The Early Years

For the first five years Stoick launched sneak attacks against Alvin in the hope of saving his son. Each sneak attack came every six months or so, and they were always foiled. Hiccup was highly guarded, as he was Alvin's only insurance that Stoick wouldn't launch an all out attack.

The sneak attacks ended when Hiccup was five. The little boy had been sleeping in his tiny locked room, when Alvin stormed in and began beating him. After Alvin was finished, Savage took Hiccup to the old woman who had kept him alive as a baby to be healed. Alvin had his men put Hiccup's spilled blood in a vial, which was sent to his parents with a warning not to attack again.

The attacks ceased.

Before that day, Hiccup had simply been a prisoner. He was rarely allowed out, and even then had five guards at all times.

Hiccup had feared Alvin before the last sneak attack, but only learned his true cruelty after he had been beaten. Hiccup then became Alvin's drudge, locked in a tiny room at night, and constantly cleaning Alvin's house during the day. If Hiccup managed to finish all his chores, he was given a terrible, pointless task, such as hauling buckets of water back and forth in the freezing cold.

Hiccup wore rags and was forced to call Alvin "Master." Alvin enjoyed terrorizing the boy that looked so much like his enemy. If Alvin was in a bad mood, he hit Hiccup. If Hiccup forgot to call Alvin "Master," he was beaten. If all of Hiccup's chores weren't done by nightfall, he was beaten again, and didn't have his meager supper. Hiccup's life was misery.

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Meanwhile, on Berk Valka kept the vial of her son's blood on a chain around her neck, like a pendant. She had a morbid fascination with it, knowing it was her fault her son had lost this blood, but it was the only piece of her son she had left. Occasionally, Stoick would demand proof that his son was still alive. He got hair clippings, and once, a letter from her son. It simply said, I am alive, and know that I am the captured son of Stoick the Vast. 
HHHIII

Stoick kept the letter with him at all times. He longed for his only son. Stoick and Valka had not had another child. They had attempted to try again, but it felt wrong, like they were disrespecting their lost son. Valka got pregnant, but her sadness caused a miscarriage. Stoick and Valka took it as a sign that they shouldn't have another child. They both swore not to have another baby until their son was safe. He would never be replaced.

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As the years dragged on, Hiccup got the title of the Captive Heir. Every year on his birthday, the Berkians draped gray everywhere, and wore gray too. Hiccup wasn't dead, so they couldn't use black, and what other color than gray would be suitable?