The Arcane Evil (httyd-fic)

Chapter 54

Pavo ran as fast as his little legs could carry him, the vial of blue liquid was clutched in his hand. He had knocked on uncle Gobber's door but there was no answer. Now he had only one other place to go since he did not know in which room uncle Hiccup slept.

He finally reached the room and banged as loud as he could on the door. Gobber who sat nearest to the door stood up and opened it. "Pavo? What are ya doing here so late laddie?"

Pavo scampered inside and quickly said "Mommy and daddy have been bad."

Pavo looked around and saw Hiccup and Astrid as well as Fishlegs also in the room along with his grandparents.

"Now what do ya mean lad?" Gobber asked as Pavo proceeded to show Gobber the vial.

"They have been hurting grandma and grandpa with this." Pavo stated as he pushed the vial in Gobber's hand.

"Is that the poison?" Fishlegs asked as he took the vial from Gobber to inspect.

"Pavo" Hiccup said as he crouched down to the boy's height. "What did you hear?"

"They said........ they said" The boy thought. "That they thought you were dead and now their plans have a kink...... I think."

Hiccup's eyebrows shot upwards as did those of everybody in the room. "What else did you hear?"

"Mommy hit daddy and said that he wouldn't have been Chief without her help and then she showed him that." Pavo pointed to the vial. "something about eli...elim...."

"Eliminating?" Astrid guessed and Pavo nodded.

"Yes! Eliminating the competition." Pavo said as he looked at the adults in the room who looked shocked.

"Hiccup, this really is poison." Fishlegs said as he had finished examining it with one of his spells. "I can use the purging spell now that I know what was used."

Stoick sat quietly as he let the new information sink in. "My own son. Why?" He asked himself as his fists clenched.

Stoick tried to stand up but Gobber pushed him back in his seat. "Stoick what do ya plan on doing?"

"I'm going to give that boy and that good fur nothing wife of his a piece of my mind!" Stoick growled as he slammed his fist angrily on the table making Pavo flinch and hide behind Hiccup.

"Ya might want ta calm down Stoick yer scaring the little one." Gobber said as he motioned to Pavo who was clinging to Hiccup's pants.

Stoick's mouth formed an 'O' when he noticed that he had scared the boy and he bend down slowly. "Sorry lad, didn't mean to scare ya." Stoick said. "Thank you for bringing that liquid."

Pavo surprised Stoick by running up to him and hugging him. After the boy let go Stoick turned to Gobber.

"Don't ya look at me now." Gobber stated. "It's tha lass ya should talk to. She's had a wicked gleam in her eyes for a while now."

At that statement Stoick turned to look at Astrid who now sported a smirk.

"What are you thinking Astrid?" Hiccup asked as his lips began to twitch.

"Just a bit of a show." Astrid answered.

The following morning Astrid and Hiccup were already in the throne room, along with Toothless and Stormfly who flanked them, when all the nobles entered, or at least tried to. Some held their heads, others moaned and others walked into the wooden doors.

"Gobber really did a number on them." Astrid stated as she winced when a portly noble walked into a stone pillar.

Eret and the other knights had no hangover as Astrid had warned them when she went to fetch Fishlegs. "Your Highness, Hiccup. Quite a night we had." Eret greeted as he placed two chairs facing the throne.