The Arcane Evil (httyd-fic)

Chapter 14

AN: Greetings guys, so I'm almost finished with this story (longest story I've written so far) and as such updates will now be every Wednesday and Friday. 

"Ouch!" Snotlout shouted as he slapped a persistent mosquito which had landed on his nose. The others tried to hide their sniggers but they were still heard.

"What is with these mosquitoes?" Snotlout asked as he waved the pesky bugs away.

"We are traveling through a marsh Snotlout." Fishlegs said in exasperation. "There are bound to be insects."

"Are we even going the right way?" Snotlout asked as he went cross-eyed when another bug sat on his nose. "We've been traveling for nearly four days now."

"We are going the right way." Ruffnut confirmed. "I got that feeling back after the Queen defeated those sisters."

Tuffnut tried to shush his sister but she had already uttered the statement which had caused Fishlegs' brows to furrow.

"Wait, it came back afterwards?" Fishlegs asked. "Does that mean-"

Tuffnut let out a groan and facepalmed. He really wanted to headbud his sister right now. "Yes Fishlegs. That is what it means." Tuffnut confirmed.

"What does it mean?" Snotlout asked confused.

"It means Snotlout that I have magic." Ruffnut stated matter-of-factly. "It is a wonder that you guys only now figured it out."

"Snotlout I can understand. He's pretty dense." Tuffnut joked.

"Hey!" Snotlout yelled indignantly.

"But Fishlegs. Who would have thought that he would not have noticed until now." Tuffnut said completely ignoring Snotlout. Fishlegs looked a bit sheepish as he nervously scratched the back of his head.

Ruffnut noticed and let out a wicked smile. "Oh, I know why Fishlegs did not notice. He was so busy trying to court Camicazi!"

Fishlegs flushed red when even Tuffnut joined in. "Oh yes. The flower girl who sells her wares in the market."

He quickly tried to divert the conversation "So Ruffnut, why did you not tell us you could do magic?"

Ruffnut turned to Fishlegs as they steered their horses to higher land. "It was safer that way." Ruffnut explained. "I didn't want to become a cleric so I kept it hidden. The less people who knew the better. Frankly speaking I can do very little with my magic. I have not trained in it."

"So you knowing where someone is?" Snotlout asked as he guided his horse beside them.

"Like I said. It's a feeling. I can't really explain it but I know where something or someone is when I focus enough."

"She gets it from our father." Tuffnut stated.

"Do you have any magic Tuffnut?" Snotlout now asked.

"I take after our mother, so no."

"But isn't it dangerous to let your magic go unchecked like that Ruffnut?" Fishlegs asked. "There are some cases where the magic lashes out."

Ruffnut nodded and then produced a small leather-bound book from her bag. "I do practice when I can." She admitted. "But so far I can only do small spells."

"Sister, did you swipe that book from father again?"

Ruffnut smirked in her brother's direction before putting the book back. "You know father will not be amused."

"Why don't you go back to talking to your chicken brother."

"Do not insult Chicken!" Tuffnut grumbled as he stroked the chicken under his arm.

"I still can't believe you took that feathery menace with you." Snotlout muttered as he eyed the chicken.

"We had a connection!" Tuffnut defended as he hugged Chicken closer.

"Is your brother alright? He seems crazier now." Fishlegs whispered to Ruffnut who let out a snort of amusement.

"Like he said. He takes after mother."

That statement did nothing to assure Fishlegs but they kept on traveling. They were soon out of the marsh and came upon a crossroad.

"Which way now?" Fishlegs asked while looking at the faded signs. "We've already managed to cross the Briningian border but it is still a big kingdom."

"I still do not understand why the Queen wanted to know about those knights." Snotlout muttered as Ruffnut lead the way. "She's the Dark Queen. The people tell stories about her icy heart. Why would she care about some knights?"

"Maybe everything we have heard has been exaggerated." Ruffnut mumbled gaining their attention. "She displayed a whole lot of magical ability but killed no one, and what of that man traveling with her. It was concern that she showed."

Fishlegs nodded. "I believe her companion's name was Hiccup, if I heard right."

Snotlout snorted. "Who would name their kid Hiccup."

"Who would name their kid Snotlout." Tuffnut joked back.

"My point is." Ruffnut said. "Do we even know why there is a reward for her head?"

"King Madine offered a bounty on her head." Snotlout said. "There was no reason given."

"So we might be hunting down an innocent woman." Fishlegs muttered. "There must be something that the king wants if he is going through this much trouble."

"Maybe we should just ask the Queen?" Tuffnut suggested causing all eyes to rest on him.

"Brother, did you just make an intelligent suggestion?"

"I'm just saying. We know one side of the story, why not find out the other one."

Snotlout did not look pleased but he did not say anything as they rode on. It was near nightfall when they came across a small village. They tiredly headed towards the tavern and Tuffnut yelled to the barmaid "Four mugs of mead please!"

They sat around the table and that was when Fishlegs confronted Snotlout. "Okay what is going on with you! You've been sulking for a while now."

"It's nothing. I was just wondering about Tuffnut's suggestion." Snotlout stated. "Sure we could ask for the Queen's side of the story but will she tell us the truth and will she even stay long enough so that we can talk. I still think we should just capture her and be done with it. It must have been something bad that she had done to get on the king's bad side."

"And how do you propose to catch her Snotlout?" Ruffnut asked.

"With these babies." Snotlout said as he displayed his muscles. "She'd be powerless against me!"

"Eh...... Snotlout" Tuffnut said but was ignored.

"I could easily capture her with my skill alone." Snotlout continued to boast.

"...Snotlout......" Fishlegs now said but was also ignored.

"These babies have felled many enemies! The Dark Queen won't know what hit her."

Ruffnut had turned around when her brother nudged her and she paled. She turned to Snotlout, who was still boasting, and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Yes, Sir Snotlout is on the case. I could spot the Queen anywhe-" Snotlout bragged but stopped when he felt Ruffnut tap his shoulder. Ruffnut pointed to something behind Snotlout causing him to turn around and blanch.

Behind the party of four stood an irate Dark Queen holding up a tray of four mugs of mead. She was tapping her foot while sending glares to the gathered party.

"Eh.......... Hi." Snotlout meekly said before a slap filled the tavern.