The Arcane Evil (httyd-fic)

Chapter 19

Hiccup let out a groan near the campfire. "Riding bareback upon Toothless was really not the best idea." He muttered. Hiccup looked at the small camp that had been set up and he let out a relieved sigh. They had been traveling for almost five days after leaving the prison and they finally managed to cross the border into Euradin.

Astrid and her knights had taken the horses from the stables there along with enough supplies so that they could avoid the villages and remain undetected. Hiccup followed them from up on Toothless, who mostly flew low along the ground or high in the sky if the area where they would camp needed scouting beforehand.

Hiccup scratched Toothless, who he was leaning against, affectionately on the head causing the dragon to let out a happy warble. He could not help but chuckle when he remembered Toothless scaring the horse, which he was about to mount, away in jealousy only to receive an innocent look from the dragon.

Hiccup lightly touched his lips as he remembered the kiss that Astrid had given him in the prison. He wanted to believe that it was simply a spur of the moment kiss and that it hardly meant anything. He wasn't even sure why he had kissed her at the cliff. With a sigh Hiccup stood up from his place. He needed to sort out his feelings.

"I'm going to get some more firewood." He told the others who were seated nearby.

Not so far away from the camp was a small lake where Astrid had decided to take a bath in. As she waded to the edge of the lake she heard Hiccup tell the others that he was going to gather firewood. She grabbed her gown and her brow furrowed in thought as she dressed. She could not help but think back to the kiss that she had given Hiccup in the prison.

"Something on your mind your Highness?" Eret asked as he stood guard near the lake with his back turned to Astrid.

"How do you always know when something is bothering me." Astrid asked.

"I've known you for too long." Eret simply said.

Astrid huffed but told Eret anyway. "I have no idea why I kissed Hiccup."

"Perhaps the easiest answer is that you like him." Eret said. "You do tend to overthink sometimes. Maybe you're even starting to love him."

"Eret, you know that I don't believe in love." Astrid muttered. "You should know that better than anyone else. You were there for most of my life."

"Love has a way of hitting you on the head when you least expect it." Eret chuckled. "Might I suggest that you tell Hiccup about your feelings."

"Even if I do tell him that Eret, then what?" Astrid muttered. "He's a wanderer, I highly doubt that he would want to stay in one place."

"Maybe you should ask him." Eret suggested. "He's accompanied you this far. I have a feeling that he's been hurt much in the past. Maybe the reason he wanders around is because he doesn't believe anyone would accept him."

Astrid was looking at Eret with wide eyes. "Why are you always this perceptive." Astrid mumbled which caused Eret to chuckle.

Astrid and Eret had already set foot in the camp when they heard sounds of a scuffle taking place not so far away. The sound of clashing metal caused the knights to draw their own swords and steadily advance into the forest.

There was a grunt before they came upon the sight of Hiccup pressing his blade into the neck of a masked figure who he had pinned to a tree.

"Hiccup are you alright?" Astrid asked as she was flanked by Eret.

"Hiccup?!" The masked figure said shocked in what appeared to be a feminine voice.

Hiccup frowned and then proceeded to pull down the grey hood only to step back in shock. "Heather?! What are you doing here?"

"You know her?" Eret asked as he still kept his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Hiccup nodded, not taking his eyes off of Heather as he said "I think we'll need an explanation."

The group headed back to the camp after the knights had disarmed Heather. They were frankly amazed as they were carrying her axe as well as ten throwing daggers. Hiccup explained, once they were seated around the campfire that Heather was an old friend from Hysteria and that she was the sister of the Berserker chief. He turned to Heather then and asked "What are you doing so far south and why did you attack me?"

"I'm here to rescue my brother and I thought you were all Grimborn's men." Heather explained which caused Hiccup to facepalm.

"I don't know any Grimborn but what has that carrot top gotten himself into now?"

"Carrot top?" Astrid whispered perplexed.

"Hiccup's nickname for my brother." Heather said having heard Astrid. She then smiled and added "He had to duck quite a few daggers when my brother Dagur found out about it."

"So who is this Grimborn?" Hiccup quickly asked trying to change the subject.

"Viggo and Ryker Grimborn, they are brothers and dragon trappers. They came into Hysteria waters hunting a skrill and ran into my brother's fishing party." Heather explained.

"And of course Dagur attacked the trappers because the skrill is the symbol of Hysteria." Hiccup said to which Heather nodded.

"They managed to board our ship and killed everyone with the exception of Dagur and I. Those brothers had figured out who we were and wanted to ransom us for chests of gold pieces. Dagur threw me overboard before they managed to knock him out and take him captive. I've been following them for a while now and I thought that you were his men since you are camping close to his base of operations along with a dragon."

Astrid frowned a bit. "Wait, dragons are not usually found so far north. What was a skrill doing in that area?"

"From what I overheard, the skrill was frozen in an iceberg and the trappers were thawing it out when the dragon took a chance to escape." Heather explained.

"Heather, want some help getting your brother back?" Hiccup asked and then turned to Astrid and the others. "This isn't your fight so I won't ask you to get involved but I do owe Dagur a favor and I consider him a friend."

"What do you take us for Hiccup" Astrid stated. "We'll definitely help. Anyone harming dragons is already on my list of least favorites." Astrid muttered as her knights nodded. "The southern kingdoms pride themselves on their good relationship with the dragons."