Advisory: Violence and implied torture

The Dark Lord's Armada

The crew stared at him in utter shock.

"Surrender? The Night Fury never surrenders!" Fish exclaimed.

"Yeah-death before dishonour!" Tuff shouted.

"The Night Fury won't go down without a fight!" Ruff added.

"She will today," Fury told them sharply. "We fight and we go the same way that other ship went-straight to the bottom of the sea!" They stared at him. "They're not firing now, guys. They want us alive. And that's our chance. We find out exactly what they have...and then we can make a break for it when we know what we are facing."

"What about us?" Astrid asked and the pirate stared at the woman. He sighed.

"If you are our prisoners, they may treat you with respect," he said dubiously, "or they treat you as badly as they treat us. Sorry-I never planned this to happen." There was a vague shrug of his shoulders but it was clear he was worried for his crew. "Mulch, Bucket-get our guests out! If they sink us, they deserve to stand a chance not to drown."

The Governor, the General and the Captain were led onto the deck and immediately began to scoff at the pirate. "Ha! How does it feel to be boarded, cutthroat?" Eret sneered.

"Damn-missed a trick," Fury murmured. "Should've cut your throat-and then I wouldn't have to listen to your whining!"

"Can't see them happy to see you, pirate!" the Governor added. "You attacked one of their ships. I'm sure they'll want to return the favour!" Fury rolled his eyes but turned towards his own men and saw them all grabbing weapons.

"Don't resist!" he shouted as the crew saw grapples fly over and haul the Night Fury towards the largest boat, a monster towering over them and three or four times their length. Then he turned away, putting Arild on the ground and resting an urgent hand on his shoulder. "Hide, buddy," he murmured softly. "I don't know if these people will treat you properly. So hide on the ship. I can do what I have to if I know you're safe..."

"Will you be okay?" the boy asked him worriedly. Fury gently tousled his head.

"Hide," he whispered and the boy ran off, heading down into the hold as the young pirate stood up and stared at the ship they were pulled in. Men in jagged black armour swung across and Fury stared at them impassively, his hand resting lightly on the pommel of his sword. The invaders swiftly surrounded the crew and their unwilling guests until a bulky, cruel-faced man swaggered up in front of Fury.

"Your sword, Captain," the man growled in his exotic accent. Fury unwillingly unstrapped his sword belt and handed it over.

"What do you want?" he asked. "What do you plan for my crew and passengers?"

The man backhanded him hard and he slammed to the deck. He paused only for a breath then rose to his feet agilely, shaking his head slightly.

"That's not an answer," Fury growled. "I demand..."

A second blow felled him brutally and he took a little longer getting to his feet. This time, two men gripped his arms as he clambered up and held him tight.

"You will come with us...all of you..." the man said, his eyes dark with anger and jerked his head. Fury was led across the swiftly lowered gangplank first, with the rest escorted after him. They were taken first into a small, dark hold but immediately after they were safely inside, Fury was dragged to the door.

"You will come to talk to the boss," the guard growled. Fury stared at the others and he took a deep breath.

"For the Gods' sake, keep quiet!" he growled to the watching crew and the passengers. His green eyes sent a mute appeal to Astrid. "I will say that you are from a private vessel I took for hostages-but I will not reveal who you are. That ship tried to mow you down once...and I cannot think who is in charge means you well."

"I am not afraid...mmph..." Eret began and found himself elbowed in the gut by the Governor. He gave the pirate a curt nod.

"We will await your return, Captain," he growled as the pirate was hauled away. Eret turned to the Governor in a towering fury.

"Why did you stop me?" he snarled. "I am not ashamed of who..."

"You really don't have the brains you were born with, do you?" Stoick growled. "That pirate was right: that ship targeted our ship with my standard. Revealing my identity would be ridiculous when the pirate is willing to take the lead. Whoever their leader is will be interested to know all about us and where we are from...and I doubt he will be gentle over how he asks. Let them do what they want with him while we plan our escape...with or without that thieving scum!"

oOo

Arild peeked out from his hiding place in the hold, his small skinny body folded into the little niche between two crates of provisions. It had been a couple of hours since the crew had been taken away and apart from a casual sweep by the guards for any stragglers, the ship had been deserted.

He was worried. Captain Fury had been afraid for him and had sent him to hide, having encouraged the boy to explore the ship from top to bottom when he first arrived. The pirate had given his friendly, lopsided smile and winked at him as he had described all the little hiding spots he had discovered and had explained to the surprised boy that everyone needed a bolt-hole. He hadn't been annoyed that Arild had gotten himself dirty when he returned. The Captain hadn't been angry for a lot of things that Arild had gotten used to being beaten for and the boy was surprised that even when he tripped up or dropped something or spilled some stew on his tunic, he wasn't subjected to a series of rough blows to his skinny frame. The man he had called his father and who had thrown him out after his mother had passed had always used his hand on the boy: he had seemed to enjoy hitting him. Fury hadn't even raised his voice to the boy.

He glanced up to the silent deck and sneaked up to the cabin, then grabbed the little dagger that Fury had given him, as well as putting on a second tunic because the air was absolutely frigid. The freezing fog was curling around the pinioned Night Fury, obscuring the little shape that sneaked across the gangplank to the huge ship. Arild ducked down behind a huge pile of rope and peered past the guards in their sinister armour. The boy knew he was pretty useless at most things and was small and weak. Fury would probably be mad that he had disobeyed and come looking for him but Arild was determined to get his friend back and help them get away from these scary, cruel-faced men.

He sneaked along the side, dodging fat rats that scuttled and gave him deeply menacing looks. He ducked through the low stairway and dived behind the little staircase, his thin body pressed, scared, against the wood. He was breathing hard as he peeked out...and saw a guard sitting, his back to the boy. There was bread on his plate and the starving boy crept up and stole the bread, retreating to hungrily scoff the food. Then he sneaked around the deck, hiding when he heard feet approaching, watching where they went and trying to memorise the doors. But it was as he approached the cells that he realised there were more guards so he sank down to a crouch behind a thick brace for the hull. He was starting to feel very anxious: he had no clue how he would get Captain Fury out.

Then a hand tightened on his shoulder and he felt his entire body freeze.

"Oy, brat! What're you doing here?"

oOo

Fury had kept looking around as he was hauled through the ship, his keen emerald gaze picking out details of guard deployments, the makeup of the ship, cannon placements and the number of ships in the fleet. He closed his eyes every few moments, locking the images and details into his memory. He kept up an aimless chatter, trying to raise any details from his guards...but all they offered were a handful of punches and kicks at him as he was finally led up to the cabin of the man in charge.

The cabin was huge, similar in area to his own deck and lit by the dim grey light through the window at the far wall and by lamps on the side walls. A huge desk dominated one side of the room and standing in the other, his cold black eyes glittering with malice, was a huge man with sallow skin, scars all over his face and black hair fashioned into long dreadlocks. His beard was cut into a single long braid and his hooked nose cast harsh shadows over his leering mouth. His clothing was made of black-dyed lizard-skin, his huge and powerful shape proud and menacing. His left sleeve was empty and pinned to his shoulder.

"What are you doing in my seas?" the man growled, his voice deep and menacing. Fury stared up at him, knowing he was far and away the lightest built and probably the shortest in the room: though he was used to being taunted for his build through childhood, just now, he felt unnerved.

"Sorry, didn't see your name on it," he shot back sarcastically at the big man. A fist slammed into his back and he grimaced. "Didn't catch it anyways," he added.

"I am Drago Bludvist, the Lord of the North!" the one-armed man sneered. Even Fury had heard of him-as rumours. He wasn't a friend to the pirates and destroyed any ship he came across. That the man had a huge armada and a ship of his had invaded the waters north of Berk was more worrying and something that the Pirate Council needed to hear. If he ever got out of here.

"Captain Fury," he introduced himself lightly. "And I wanna know what your ships are doing in my seas? One of your ships almost crushed me while I was raiding a pleasure cruiser!" He was expecting the fist to his kidneys when it came but it didn't make him groan any less or prevent him being pitched onto his face at Drago's feet. He stared up as the man rested a heavy boot on his shoulder and he grimaced.

"What were you doing in those quarters?" Drago growled.

"What were you? Those were Berkian territorial waters!" Fury snapped back and then yelped as the man pressed his weight through his shoulder. The man weighed a ton!

"So you know Berk well?" Drago sneered, staring at the lanky shape pinned by his weight.

"I've been there...once or twice..." Fury grunted trying to move. He was completely pinned, helpless like a newborn yak. Drago stepped back and nodded to his men, who hastened to drag Fury back up.

"So would your passengers prove more helpful?" the Lord of the North asked coldly. "That mouthy young man...the blonde girl...or even the man with the red beard?"

"Well, much as I would love to watch that ass speaking to you, you will find he's irritating and knows nothing whatsoever. The girl is even worse, an aloof bitch who spends all her time in needlepoint and gossip. And the big guy...well, if you enjoy talking about books and history, then knock yourself out!" Fury grimaced as a punch slammed into his stomach and he dropped to his knees again. He was half-wondering why he was protecting any of them...but he had promised. And he always kept his promises-no matter the cost. Drago lunged forward and his hand snatched Fury's unruly auburn mop, wrenching his head back and leaning close to the half-concealed face.

"So I'm just going to have to talk to you," he threatened. Fury swallowed and made his choice.

"Talk to is the operative term," he replied warily. "I won't be talking back." Drago released him and he found himself hauled up and slammed into a chair, his scarf pulled down and his arms tied to the arms of the chair. The guards held him firm and he struggled hard. The Lord of the North nodded as one of his men unrolled an oilskin over the top of the table-and revealed a very unpleasant-looking selection of implements. The guards swiftly unfastened his leather armour and pulled up his tunic while another lifted an especially vicious looking tool and walked towards Fury.

"Oh, I think you will," Drago said.

oOo

The prisoners looked up as the door opened and a guard shoved a small shape in. Arild ducked as the man swatted a cuff at his head and almost evaded the accompanying kick but it caught him across the hip and he slammed to the floor. The guard mouthed obscenities at him and slammed the door. The boy rubbed his hip with a wince and scrambled to his feet-to face Ruff.

"Hey-I thought I heard the Captain tell you to stay hidden, Toothless!" she snapped. The twins had found out his nickname and insisted on calling him that when he had messed up-which he hated. They had already taken the role of crazy older siblings and the boy gave a shrug, bowing his head.

"Yeah, he did," he admitted in a small voice.

"So why'd you come, T?" Tuff asked him and the boy fiddled with his hands.

"BecauseIwasworriedaboutFury..." he mumbled quickly, ducking as if expecting a blow. Ruff dropped to a crouch and stared at him, seeing his hunched shoulders and trembling hands. She rested her hands on his thin shoulders.

"Hey, hey-it's okay, " she told him more gently, rubbing his shoulders reassuringly. The crew had all realised quickly how vulnerable the boy was and all felt fiercely protective of the Captain's adopted 'son'. The boy lifted his ashamed green eyes. He dug under his tunic and pulled out a metal object.

"D-don't be mad," he said softly, "but I...um...sorta stole this from-from the guard when I pinched his bread...um..."

And he handed over the key.