The Return of the Night Fury.

They had finally dragged him back to the oar when they had decided he had been given enough time to get over Dagur's torture. He blinked sluggishly, his spirit feeling utterly crushed and tried not to listen to the sneering taunt of his oarsmate. The scarred, brutal man was positively gloating at his misfortune, his pain and he felt a pang of resentment at the unfairness that he was being singled out by men in exactly the same circumstances. But he couldn't stop the gasp of pain as he was shoved in his place by the man and the overseer saw him jerk, trying to protect himself. The man snarled and lashed him once, causing him to curl pathetically forward, gasping in pain. He bowed his head and tried to master his breathing. He was trembling at the sudden fresh onslaught of pain.

"This man has disappointed the Lord Dagur!" the overseer announced to the slaves, gesturing to Hiccup and using his whip to lift the man's bowed head. "So Lord Dagur has reduced your rations by half. He is not to die...but he will reward whoever persuades him to co-operate!" And he turned and stalked to the front of the galley.

"HALF SPEED!" he shouted and the drummer began to pound out the time. Painfully, he grasped the oar and gritted his teeth...then pulled. The man next to him glared for a moment, then leaned slightly towards him.

"Wait until we rest," he promised. "You need to do what Dagur asks-or we'll make your life Hel."

"Too late," Hiccup grunted, feeling his wounds pull as he rowed. Far too late...

They rowed for hours, his head spinning with weariness and hunger, his arms feeling as if they no longer belonged to him. He could feel his newest wound bleeding and he wondered if he would pass out but finally, they called the rest and the slaves collapsed, exhausted. Sweaty, drained bodies breathing heavily slumped over the oars, the only sounds panting and the occasional groan until...Hiccup felt a blow on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and glanced up-to see his oarsmate looming over him. He half-turned and raised his bleary green eyes.

"You really don't have to do this..." he murmured exhaustedly. The older, scarred man leered.

"Yes, I do..." he snarled and lunged at Hiccup, his hands locking around the man's slender throat. Clawing, pinned against the raised central walkway, Hiccup definitely felt his vision begin to grey. And now he had no little knife, no weapon to prise this strong and enraged man off...nothing...

...except the desperate need to see his son again...

I promised I will come back, Arild...

...and this man isn't going to stop me!

He pulled his hand away from his neck, knowing he couldn't hope to break the grip. So his hand flung round and stabbed into the man's eyes. The man bellowed and Hiccup gouged again, desperate to get the man to loosen his crushing grip. The scream was louder and finally the man pulled away, howling. Hiccup tore his hands off his neck and reared up, cocking his arm back and slamming a single devastating blow down across the man's face. He slammed back, his head cracking against the bench and he slumped, limp. Hiccup collapsed back, gasping desperately, his throat really painful. He curled against the walkway, cringing at the approach of the overseer.

"YOU!" the man screamed and a vicious grip on Hiccup's hair dragged him to his feet, almost whining in pain. His face creased in agony at the tearing pressure on his scalp and a hand desperately grasped the overseer's wrist to ease the pressure a fraction.

"Please...it wasn't my fault!" he begged. "I-I was just trying to defend myself..." The overseer grabbed him around his already-bruised throat and stared hatefully into his desperate green eyes.

"And are you going to defend yourself against me?" the overseer taunted him. Hiccup realised the grip was meant to be painful and intimidating but he wasn't holding him tight enough to throttle him. He dropped his hands and closed his eyes.

"N-no, sir..." his gasped. The overseer threw him down harshly and watching him hiss in pain. The pirate moved slowly, curling up painfully. The overseer stepped over him, kicking him harshly and pressed a hand against the man who attacked Hiccup. The man's head lolled and his gouged eyes stared up blankly. The overseer kicked Hiccup hard again.

"This one's dead!" he shouted to his colleague. "Get me a fresh one for this oar!" Then he stepped over Hiccup and kicked him again. "You-if this happens again, I'll have you on the frame and give you thirty lashes. I can't waste slaves!" Hiccup collapsed again, curling up as small as he could in the corner of his place against the walkway. He gave a submissive nod.

"Y-yes, sir..." he rasped. He glanced up, seeing the other slaves meet his green gaze-then hastily look away. The hostile murmurs were gone, replaced by awe and fear at a man who could kill another with a single punch. Hiccup sighed: it had been a last resort, one of the few useful things he had learned from the Thor's Hammer and not something he was at all proud of. But as a skinny boy in a crew of big, muscular, powerful men, he had needed to learn the technique and he had mastered it over the years-but he had only resorted to the skill when he was about to be killed.

He closed his eyes. He knew there had been a risk that the overseer would slay him as well but he guessed that the man wouldn't want to lose two slaves in one incident. And he had calculated that the demonstration of his skill would cause his fellow slaves to think twice about attacking him...for now. And there had been one last consequence of the incident, of the forced proximity to the overseer who had been taunting the beaten and ostensibly broken slave...

The man's dagger now nestled in his possession, concealed under his seat and his curled, beaten shape. No one knew it was there. But during the rest period, when the others were asleep, he would be able to use the tool to start digging his chain free...and escape...

oOo

It was growing colder, sleet slapping the faces of the crew on deck as they sped north after the Berserker galley. The black sails were full of the strong wind and the ship was difficult to handle. Fishlegs and the crew were working furiously to keep them sailing after the Berserker galley. They had reached the Berserker waters but after intercepting a Berserker frigate, they had learned Dagur was taking his ship up the previous day north to liaise with Bludvist...and hand over the pirate. The crew hadn't even bother to steal...much...and had sped after the galley. At least the Night Fury was fast and sleek: she stood every chance of catching the galley.

Astrid was in the cabin, not wanting to stand in the sleet but impatient and worried. Arild was with her and she had the boy sitting on her lap, eating his stew and she was telling him one of the tales of old Berk.

"...so the dishonoured Prince and his faithful wolf companion took the the forest and swore to defy the usurper as an outlaw. He called himself Night Fury and he robbed rich people-nobles, soldiers, tax collectors-and gave the money to the poor villagers who had been robbed by the evil Sheriff and usurper..."

The boy looked up and frowned. His broken arm was in a sling and his bruises were fading but he had lost some of his confidence, no matter how much Astrid praised and reassured him. He missed his father. "Like us? We rob rich people and soldiers," he noted. Astrid sighed.

"But you don't give the money to poor people-you keep it for yourselves," she pointed out.

"I'm poor," Arild argued. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

"Not any more," she reassured him. "Your Dad will be back soon and he has the treasure he stole. You won't be hungry or cold or alone again." He looked up at her, his big green eyes pleading.

"And if Dad...doesn't come back?" he asked softly. The door opened and Fishlegs stomped in, wrapped up in a thick leather coat.

"I will look after you...or the twins..." he offered.

"Or me," Astrid offered. The boy stared at her in shock. She ruffled his unruly black hair. "But we are going to find your Dad, Arild. Hiccup managed to survive for years with no one on his side. Now he has the whole crew-and you and me and even Snotlout!" The boy put his spoon down and frowned.

"Not the whole crew," he said solemnly. "Halvard tried to kill him..." Fishlegs stared at him in shock.

"What? When?" he asked, leaning close to the boy.

"When...when he was captured," the boy revealed, leaning closer to Astrid. "He was waiting for the ships to close in so he could fight them with the cannons and muskets when Halvard attacked him with a sword. He said he would be given a pardon and a ship and a chest of gold." He breathed hard. "I called out to warn Dad. He fought Halvard off-and he killed him. Then he was attacked by the other ships and he had to give up because they would have killed him...and I was there. If-if I hadn't b-been there, I-I think he m-might have d-died..." Astrid wrapped her arms around him and stared up at Fishlegs.

"Not the biggest surprise, to be honest," he admitted. Then he frowned. "Jorgen went with him to Berkisport. "I'll have a word with him..." Astrid sighed then looked at Arild.

"You saw all of that?" she asked in a concerned voice. He nodded.

"I knew Dad would protect me," he admitted. "But I disappointed him by not doing what he wanted. He wanted me to get away. But I stayed with him." She gave a small smile.

"Stubborn. Doesn't listen to his Dad...yep, you're Hiccup's!" she smiled and the boy stared at her in shock. He narrowed his green eyes and looked closely at her.

"You really did know him," he realised.

"He was my best friend," she admitted. "When we were caught, the brave thing to do would have been to stand by him. But I was a coward. I broke his heart. I know I deserve all that has befallen me since but if I could go back and change it...I would. I made the worst decision once and I won't again. I promise we will get him back." She saw his scepticism. "I know he always keeps his promises. He will be waiting, Arild. A man must be his word." His eyes widened and he snuggled against her.

"I like you much more than his other girlfriend," he admitted. She stiffened.

"Can...can you tell me a little about her?" she asked hesitantly. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. He nodded.

"She is called Heather. I think he didn't treat her well. But she didn't listen either. She just wanted him to marry her when he said he didn't. When he dumped her, she ended up kidnapping and buying me as a slave to get him to come back. She was horrible. She had me in chains and slapped me and told me he wouldn't come back for me. That he broke his word. But I know...he always keeps his promises." She nodded.

"Heather is Dagur's sister-the reason why he had Fury now," Fishlegs offered. "She's vengeful and amoral." She sighed. "He treated her badly. She's sworn to treat him worse."

"I think he kinda likes you," Arild said quietly. "But I think he doesn't want to. He needs to hate you for what you did...but sometimes, the way he says your name...kinda tells me he doesn't..." Astrid sighed.

"That's sweet, Arild-but I know it's not true," she said softly. "All I can do is help rescue him and give you back to you Dad...and then see if he'll let me stay." Fishlegs stared at her, recalling the woman who threw porridge at him and had been so rude and aggressive...and the woman who had helped Fury as they escaped Drago. And who Arild clearly trusted. He had no clue whether Fury would forgive her or not.

"SHIP AHOY!" Everyone stared at the door as Tuff broke in through the door. The male twin was damp from the sleet but his face was exultant. "We've found him!"

oOo

The jolting bounce across the waves was a relief because the slaves were rested in the galley when the sails were full of the string winds. But in another way, it wasn't so fortunate because the overseers had less impulsion to feed and water the slaves. They didn't have the exercise to keep them warm and there were no blankets, only the rags they wore against the chill and the faint mist of spray that leaked around the oars. The cabin grew stale with sweaty, unwashed bodies and other more unpleasant scents. And Hiccup suffered because even when they remembered to feed the slaves, they were still on half rations-except the pirate who was on quarter rations...if they fed him at all.

He had a new oarsmate, a short, muscular man with skin the colour of seasoned pine and dark eyes. His long black hair was braided in a strange style and his beard was full and thick. The man spoke little Norse, his accent thick and difficult to understand and though Hiccup had smiled to him, the man had stared back blankly. He had watched Hiccup closely, frowning at the scorn and taunts he received, watching him being shorted every time food and water was brought round and lashed at the end of every session at the oars, no matter how hard he toiled. He also saw the man was trying to escape...

Curled against the walkway, trying not to put any pressure on his latest wounds, Hiccup was quietly digging at the loop holding his chain with the dagger, his motions surreptitious and hidden by his bowed shape. His eyes were focussed on the task, his head down and not paying attention. The man next to him saw the approaching menace...and slapped him on the shoulder, catching his latest raw welt. He hissed and his head snapped up...as a familiar voice sent a chill down his spine.

"Well, well, well-you don't look so frisky now, do you, Fury?"

He forced himself to raise his bruised face, forced his voice to be steady and not betray the fear that gripped his hollow stomach. He clenched his fists to mask the tremble and allowed the dagger to drop into the most shielded corner under his body. He met the cruel face.

"Looks can be deceiving, Dagur," he replied a little too quickly. The man grabbed the whip stuffed in his belt and he couldn't help it: he began to hyperventilate. Emerald green eyes widened with fear and he paled as a hand snatched his matted auburn hair and wrenched his head back to pull him half off his seat. The whip lifted his chin and he pressed his lips closed, determined not to make another sound.

"I see your friends didn't seem capable to encouraging you to your duty to my poor abused sister," Dagur sneered. "So I shall have to do it..." Hiccup tensed and the whip slammed into his body, the handle knocking the breath from him. His strangled whimper was loud in the sudden silence, broken only by the subsequent blows. Finally, Dagur dropped him and spun on his heel. "No food...just water ration for the next three days..." he growled as he vanished up the ladder, leaving the overseer with a nasty expression on his face. Then he turned back to his seat and resumed his doze while the other slaves settled down as well.

The new man leaned closer to Hiccup, seeing the pirate curled up, whimpering in pain. He scooched closer and hesitated, then gently swatted the pirate on the shoulder. Hiccup raised his ashen face and inspected the man with bleary eyes.

"You alright?" the strange man asked him, his accent not masking his concern. Hiccup gave the finest ghost of a smile.

"Thanks..." he said blearily. "You warned me..."

"See come..." the man explained. "You hurt?" Hiccup managed a small nod.

"I'll live," he sighed, his voice thick with pain. His eyes fluttered closed. He really was very weary, so tired of struggling against the pain, the hatred, the never-ending despair...

...but he had promised Arild he would return, promised he would hug the thin boy and wrap him in his embrace...that he wouldn't leave him alone...

"Stay with..." the man said urgently, leaning closer. "You try escape?" Hiccup managed the slightest of nods. The man patted his chest urgently. "Elias," he said. Hiccup managed the faintest lopsided smile.

"Hiccup," he groaned, gesturing vaguely at his scored chest. Painfully, he snaked his arm round and grabbed the knife, then determinedly dug into the wood once more. He looked away, his grimace obvious. Elias tapped his shoulder again and when he looked up, he saw the man offer him a hunk of black bread. He gaped. He hadn't been fed for two days and his stomach was hurting painfully. Food was a priceless resource in the galley-but the man's expression was sympathetic.

"They treat you bad," he asked. "Why?" Hiccup sighed, still wary.

"I'm a bad man," he admitted. "I upset his sister. So he wants to kill me for it." Elias nodded his head again.

"I get lost..." he admitted. "Poof! End here...because I different..." Hiccup closed his hand around the bread and sighed.

"Get away if you can," Hiccup advised him softly. "They will kill you without a thought."

"Eat," he invited the sagging pirate. Hiccup stared up for a moment then nodded and tore into the meagre food. He was ravenous and devoured the bread in moments. Breathing hard, he stared gratefully up at the man.

"Thanks," he sighed and grimaced. "Please...keep watch. I...I will try to take you if I ever get away..." Elias nodded and stationed himself, peering at the walkway. Hiccup turned back and prised the loop of his chain-and the new attachment for the other man's chain. But he had hardly started when the cry went up:

"BATTLE STATIONS!"

Hiccup sat up straight, ignoring the myriad of protests his body gave. He braced himself, grabbing his oar and casting a wary glance at Elias. Then the overseer leapt to his feet and roared the slaves. "GET TO YOUR OARS!" He coiled his whip and cast a venomous glare at the pirate. The beat began, faster than they had been driven before and the slaves bent to the task as the crack of the whip sounded.

Overhead, the thud and crunch of cannon sounded. Hiccup found himself tensing at the sounds, wishing Tuff and Ruff were firing. He knew all too well how vulnerable the slaves were, how they could be killed by a ship pulling alongside and smashing the oars inward, by a direct impact of a cannon ball or drowned when the ship sank. The rowers were being driven even harder, lashes biting almost every back as the overseer screamed in rage at their efforts. Cannons thudded again and the sickening crack sounded overhead, accompanied with the crunch as the mast toppled. The slaves all stopped for a shocked moment and the overseer shouted for his comrades. The other two ran to his aid and all three screamed at the slaves, whipping them back to their task, trying to escape the attack. Hiccup glanced to Elias and the man nodded, hauling powerfully on the oar as Hiccup ducked down and dug furiously at the chain, prising one end clear and then driving the dagger into the loop around his oarsmate.

"Get out of my way!" Hiccup's head snapped up as he heard the scream, his eyes widening in utter shock and fear as he spied Heather scrambling down into the galley, her face wild with rage and a sword clamped in her fist. She scanned the slaves and picked out his gaunt, beaten shape by his distinctive auburn hair. "YOU!" she screamed, approaching him and raising the sword. "Your mongrel band have come for you-and they can stare at your wrecked corpse! I won't ever let you go, you bastard!" And she raised the sword above him. Still chained and helpless, he cringed back, his hands closing on his chain and pulling with all his might. She was right...he had just run out of time.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM, BITCH!" Hiccup stiffened at the voice and felt his heart leap in shock. Heather was turning, her sword still raised and grey eyes blazing as she saw the blonde shape advancing at a run with a raised axe.

"You! I knew he was betraying me with you, you faithless slut!" Heather screamed. "Where's your bastard?" Astrid didn't even break stride, her axe swinging furiously and slamming Heather back. she planted herself firmly between the jet-haired girl and the chained up pirate. Hiccup stared up at her, his green eyes wide in astonishment. Astrid was dressed as he recalled her from training, all those years ago. He stared up at the furious shape, her weight forward on the balls of her booted feet, the axe gripped tight, her hair tightly braided and her leather headband keeping her bangs off her eyes.

"He's mine!" Astrid growled, her eyes flashing with rage. Hiccup grimaced. "Come and get him if you want him, you skank!" Elias tapped his shoulder and the two men began pulling on their chains as Heather charged Astrid and the sword slammed against the axe. Elias grunted as he felt his chain begin to give.

"She you wife?" he asked, jerking his head towards Astrid. Hiccup shook his head vehemently.

"Hel, no!" he replied as she parried a more furious attack on her. Heather was screaming, her attack wild but still skilled. Astrid retreated a few steps but would not go far enough to leave Hiccup exposed. Then she flipped the blade and slammed the other woman back. Hiccup saw Elias's chain give and prepared himself to be abandoned-but felt the man's hand grab his chain and the two of them finally wrenched Hiccup free. He glanced up-and saw an overseer come up behind Astrid.

"LOOK OUT!" he shouted as she ducked and her axe flipped into her other hand, the blade hitting the overseer hard in his middle. She continued the spin, the blade arching up and the flat slamming through Heather's defence and colliding with her chin. She flew a handful of yards through the air and slammed hard onto the walkway, rolling. She scrabbled for her sword as Astrid rose, her hand reaching down and offered, open, to Hiccup.

"C'mon-the crew are on deck!" she reassured him. Another stocky shape appeared by the ladder, impaling another overseer and punching the last one senseless.

"Hey, cuz!" he called. Hiccup felt his head spinning in shock.

"SNOTLOUT? What in Thor's name are you doing here?" he gasped. Snotlout winked.

"Helping rescue my cuz!" he said as if it was obvious. Hiccup swayed, then took Astrid's hand and allowed himself to be hauled to his feet. His legs were buckling and she grabbed him, fiercely pulling his lanky arm over her shoulders, supporting him. She was breathing hard.

"He...comes..." he gasped, jerking his head at Elias. The slave stared at him in gratitude and Astrid nodded, her eyes sweeping over the rest of the galley.

"And them?" she asked gently. He closed his eyes, shaking his head.

"Get me to my son," he breathed, struggling to stay upright.

"NO!" Heather screamed, scrambling to her feet, her face bloody and sword waving. "He's mine! And he has to die here!" Astrid glanced at Snotlout and the man gave a grin.

"Get him outta here!" he shouted and walked forward, tipping a small smile at the woman. Astrid and Elias dragged the pirate up the ladder as the clangs of swordplay echoed from below. Head spinning, vision blurred, Hiccup felt himself dragged over the deck and then he raised his head.

"Cap'n-good to see you," Fishlegs called, fighting the Berserker guards with Sven One, Bucket and Jorgen. "Now get him to the ship!"

"Aye, aye!" Astrid said firmly and hauled Hiccup to the boarding gangplank. He clung to her as they stumbled over the dancing seas, icy spray hitting his battered shape. He almost collapsed as they hit the deck of the Night Fury and she started to haul him to his cabin. She turned to the twins. "Got him!" she told them unnecessarily. They whooped. "Give the signal!"

"You got it!" Ruff grinned as they fired and exploded the passenger cabins on the other ship. Immediately, the crew raced back, Snotlout emerging from the galley at a sprint and swinging over with the crew. Elias stared at them and stepped closer to the sagging pirate.

"All back?" Fish asked and there were affirmatives all round. "Then cut us free!" the First Mate bellowed and they cut free from the crippled Berserker ship. Hiccup clung to Astrid as Dagur appeared on the deck, his sister stumbling to his side.

"I WILL GET YOU, FURY!" he screamed. "DON'T THINK THIS IS OVER! DRAGO IS COMING FOR YOU!"

Hiccup raised his head and managed a pained grimace. "But not today!" he called. "Enjoy rowing, Dagur!" The black sails flapped above him and the Night Fury pulled away swiftly, leaving the damaged vessel. Hiccup half-turned a step to look at his crew. "Not even raiding the ship, guys? I'm disappointed! I got on holiday for a few days and you all start slacking..." His voice was weak, almost broken and his face was white between the bruises.

"This was a Not For Profit raid, Cap'n," Fish told him with a grin. "We were only tasked by Lady Astrid to steal one item." Hiccup raised a weary eyebrow. "One slave-former pirate, auburn hair, green eyes, smart mouth, penchant for trouble." The pirate gave a weary smile.

"Better go back," he murmured. "Missed him...my hair's more browny red than auburn..."

And then he collapsed onto his face.