The Arcane Evil (httyd-fic)

Chapter 30

Astrid's eyes slowly fluttered open and she felt someone holding her hand. Looking to her side she saw Hiccup sleeping in the chair next to her bed. He was hunched over with his face planted into the mattress.

Astrid squinted as she looked around the room and saw that Toothless and Stormfly lay curled against each other near the window. She tried to sit up but winced as pain shot through her. The events of the banquet came back to her and she muttered that she should have turned Drago into a cockroach as soon as he had confessed.

Hiccup woke up from Astrid's shifting and when he glanced at her face he saw two bright blue eyes staring back at him.

"You're awake." Hiccup said groggily and then he nearly shouted it as realization hit him. He proceeded to hug Astrid who let out a squeak in surprise. "I'm so happy that you're awake!!"

"Hiccup! Can't breathe!" Astrid gasped but she did hug Hiccup back.

"How long was I unconscious for?" Astrid then asked.

"Almost four days. You had lost a lot of blood." Hiccup said as they started to hear some sounds near the door. Astrid raised an eyebrow as Hiccup went to open the door only to have the people on the other side fall down. She looked past Hiccup and could see Eret and the other knights in a pile on the floor as well as some of the servants milling about in the hallway.

"You're awake!" Eret said happily as he managed to extricate himself from the pile-up. "You had us all worried." Eret shooed the others away with the excuse that their Queen needed her rest.

"How did you even do it?" Eret suddenly asked as he had closed the chamber door. "This deviated from the original plan we had to capture the traitor."

"We had no choice. Ellyn approached us, using one of the secret passages, after Hiccup and I returned from our evening flight and picnic. She explained the situation and we had to think of a solution quickly." Astrid explained. "I placed a truth spell on the wine when I handed it to Drago. It would have worked for 3 hours."

"And the poison?" Eret asked.

"There was no poison." Hiccup stated. "That was just colored water that Ellyn poured into a goblet."

"I'm just glad both of you are alright." Eret said looking quite relieved. "The news that you are awake will have spread through the castle if not the entire city by midday.

Astrid gave them a smile and tried to sit up but winced a bit. "Can one of you tell me what happened while I was unconscious?"

"There is good news and bad news." Hiccup started to say.

"Might as well give me the good news first." Astrid said as both men took a seat.

"The guests were unharmed. It looked like Drago and his men's main focus was on you and Hiccup." Eret explained. "We also have Ellyn's mother guarded in case he tries to follow through on his threat. Also the situation in the Eastern area has been resolved. My men reported that the bandits were actually dragon trappers hunting Whispering deaths near the foot of the mountains and they were attacking the farms for supplies. The trappers were arrested but we could not locate their leaders, the Grimborn brothers."

"What is the bad news then?" Astrid asked as she was reminded of something.

"Drago managed to escape through one of the old castle tunnels. We have no idea where he has gone so the security around the castle and the city has been intensified. We searched his chambers and found a ledger containing evidence that he was the mastermind behind the dragon trappers."

"There is no need. Drago will not be in Forline any longer." Astrid stated.

"What makes you say that?" Hiccup questioned as Astrid indicated for him to retrieve a heavy leather-bound book from her table.

"I had hoped that the scenario I had thought of, ever since my Grimoire was stolen, would not come to pass but Drago's comment about reviving the great teacher has assured me that that is exactly what he and his allies plan on doing." Astrid explained as Hiccup handed her the book.

"The situation will be a lot more dire if we don't start taking precautions now. Drago is probably on his way to wherever they are keeping my Grimoire and he has my blood to open it now. We have until the full moon." Astrid explained.

"Why until the full moon? That is only six days away." Hiccup asked as Astrid was looking through the book on her lap.

"The spell they are thinking of reversing would be its weakest on a full moon." Astrid explained. "It would also explain why they needed the dragons.

"It does?" Eret asked.

"They will need the dragons to reach the Isle of Shadows. That is where their 'great teacher' has been sealed away." Astrid said as showed her disgust clearly. She showed Eret a diagram. "Eret I need you to gather all the stone carvers in the realm. These symbols need to be etched in large stones and placed at our borders."

"Astrid" Hiccup said looking extremely worried. "What will become of this world if they revive this great teacher?"

Astrid took a deep breath and told Hiccup seriously. "The world will once again be plunged into darkness like it had been so many centuries ago. We might be able to save Forline if these protection symbols line our borders."

"I will gather everything you need your Highness." Eret stated with resolution.

"Thank you Eret" Astrid said and then turned to Hiccup. "Hiccup, help me up. I must summon the court and inform them of the situation now. It is time to reveal the truth that was hidden from the world."