A Siren's Song - A Hiccup Love Story (HTTYD/RTTE)

17

"Brother!" Dagur exclaimed happily.

Hiccup quickly entered and shut the door behind him. Then, noticing Aldru, he sighed, "you brought him here, didn't you."

Aldru lowered her head a bit shyly. "Don't blame the dragon," Dagur insisted, "it's not like she really knew what she was doing; she just likes me."

"Oh, trust me, she knew," Hiccup argued, raising an eyebrow at Aldru.

Dagur laughed, "brother, don't be absurd..." He trailed off as the dragon changed before his eyes and a girl took it's place.

"Oh, Gods, why do you have to do that right now," Hiccup fretted, putting a hand to his forehead.

Aldru smiled in amusement, explaining with a shrug, "sorry, Hiccup. He was going to find out eventually."

The two looked at Dagur, who was still unable to move or speak. "I think you broke him," Hiccup said with a frown.

Aldru laughed, and finally, Dagur found his words. "You..are a siren..!?" He sounded out of breath.

"Song wing," Aldru corrected, "but..yes."

Dagur felt a bit of embarrassment rise in his chest as he recalled treating her just like any ordinary dragon. But by the time Hiccup began training him in secret, Dagur was already getting used to Aldru being a song wing. And with both of their help, he was able to fly a dragon of his very own.

• • •

It had been a week since Dagur's sacrifice to save his sister and the other riders. Hiccup had gotten a terror mail from Viggo saying that he wanted to talk. And that's where they were right now. Aldru, Astrid, and Stormfly flew above the small island to make sure all went smoothly while Hiccup talked to Viggo below.

"A truce?" Hiccup repeated in shock. He watched Viggo unroll a map with a red line dividing it.

Viggo nodded once and confirmed, "you stay south of this line, me and my men will stay north."

"..I'll need to think about it," Hiccup responded, eyes squinted in suspicion.

"By all means, do take your time," Viggo said with a smile, "although, I suppose I didn't tell all of the truth; I need to borrow something from you."

Hiccup felt his heart begin to race. He mentally prepared himself for battle as Viggo gesture up and suggested, "why don't you call your friends down here?"

"And why would I do that?" Hiccup questioned inquisitively.

A chuckle escaped Viggo's lips. "Don't take everything so negatively. I promise that you and your friends will leave this place today unharmed."

Although he hesitated, Hiccup motioned for Astrid and Aldru to land. As Aldru landed, her wings disappeared and she was human once again. "Now what do you want?" Hiccup demanded.

Viggo grinned and pointed at Aldru. Astrid immediately whipped out her ax. "Not gonna happen."

"Oh, I think it will," Viggo countered confidently.

Hiccup stepped between Aldru and Viggo. "No, you said that we'd all leave here safely--"

"And I meant it," Viggo interrupted, "this friend of yours has something of mine. And I will release her once I get it back."

"What?" Astrid shouted, "you're insane."

But Aldru knew what needed to happen. "Stop, please," she finally said. Astrid gave her a look of bewilderment, but still lowered her ax. Aldru walked over to Viggo and looked him in the eyes, the eyes that only ever seemed to waver when she stood before him. "I'll go with him," she confirmed, eyeing him curiously.

Viggo grinned and looked from Aldru to a very confused Hiccup. "Don't look so heart broken," he told him, "she'll be home safe before you know it."

Hiccup ignored this and approached Aldru. The two locked eyes and she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be alright," she whispered with a smile.

But Hiccup could not smile. He spoke with a voice shakey with concern, "you'd better come back to us."

This only made her grin widen. "Do you really think I wouldn't?" The distance between them grew as Aldru began to leave with Viggo. And soon, they disappeared onto his ship.

Astrid and Hiccup watched the ships leave. "Did we really just let her go?" Astrid asked in a weary voice.

With a deep sigh, Hiccup tried to remain calm, "she said she'll be alright."

Astrid began to counter, "but Viggo--"

"Would never hurt her," Hiccup interrupted his friend. "I didn't believe it when she first told us," he explained, "but Aldru's right; something is keeping Viggo from caging and selling her, and that could be his greatest weakness."

There was a moment of silence before Astrid responded, "Hiccup, if you're right, this is huge."

"If I'm right," Hiccup added warily, still staring out at the shrinking ships, "this whole thing just got a lot more complicated."

• • •

Viggo held his hand behind Aldru's back as he lead her to a higher platform on the ship. "What, no cage this time?" Aldru scoffed, "I thought you'd be smarter than this."

But Viggo didn't take offense. Instead, he smiled and suggested, "a cage can be arranged. As well as shackles and dragon root arrows, if you'd prefer."

Aldru rolled her eyes but shut her mouth. The truth was, she was more terrified to be uncaged. It scared her to death to know that Viggo trusted her like this. And it scared her even more that she knew she wouldn't leave.

• • •

It hadn't been long before another island came into view. Although it was still a good distance away, Aldru could see the smoke of a volcano rising. Most of the ships had stopped for the night, anchored against a small cluster of low sea stacks, while two smaller ships kept going. Aldru only wished she could figure out what they were planning.

There was no doubt that it felt incredibly odd to be on a hunter ship the way she was. Every time she passed a hunter, it surprised her to see they didn't want to attack her. Some ignored her completely, some gave her friendly smiles, some even tried to talk to her. And to make things even weirder, she wasn't being guarded very closely at all.

"Having a nice look around the ship?" Viggo asked as he walked casually over to Aldru.

Aldru gave him an odd look before answering, "I don't feel like a hostage."

Viggo chuckled at this, "who said you're supposed to be a hostage? You came here on your own; you're my guest."