Twenty Three: Found

Two Months Later:

The island was so small it barely registered on any maps, just a speck of wet rock, clinging to the southernmost limits of the Archipelago. The trader ship neatly sailed into the meagre harbour and moored as the few isolated inhabitants drifted towards the docks, interested to see what was happening.

"Ah-the lovely island of Back-of-Beyond! A jewel in the Archipelago's crown! I have so missed the chance to visit here these last five years!"

The less familiar shape of Trader 'Bernard' walked forward to greet the curious islanders with his trademark toothy grin, his arms wide in greeting and a twinkle in his eyes. The man-actually Tuffnut wearing a very unconvincing wig and beard-had observed Johann's success and modelled his manner on the older man, because the Riders had agreed that taking a leaf out of 'Traitor' Johann's book and playing the Trader was definitely the best way to slip around the Archipelago unsuspected. And he was loving his role to play and was hamming it up beautifully-with a lot of success.

"So can I tempt you with the exotic and fine wares that I have in my ship?" he continued cheerfully, his beard moving as he spoke, his shape still bent fastening the gangplank and inviting the islanders on board. There was a pause and then a handful of men and women began to walk interestedly onto the ship directed by his fellow trader 'Horace'-Ruffnut in an even worse beard and wig.

Below, their assistant glanced up through the hatch in the hold, his hand resting on his companion's head.

"Is she here, bud?" he asked softly and there was a pause as the dragon sniffed, then gave an affirmative warble. Large green eyes stared up into the familiar face and the young man nodded. "Okay, Toothless." The young man walked to the hatch at the back of the hull, carefully aligned so that it was invisible from the shore and lifted the latch. "Okay-you know the drill," he sighed. "Slip out and swim round the corner then meet me above the town..." The Night Fury nodded and reluctantly slithered through the hatch then vanished with a splash. Sighing, the young man closed and latched the hatch once more.

The villagers were crowded over the deck as he emerged, a floppy green cap concealing his auburn hair, a cloak round his shoulders as he carefully placed the goods he had brought up from the hold onto the pile and then slid lithely through the crowd and down onto the dock. Tuff winked once as he saw his friend head out once more-ostensibly to seek for provisions though the true nature of his quest was more serious.

Hiccup steadfastly walked up the muddy path, grimacing slightly as his prosthetic slid on the mire or got stuck, causing him to stumble. He hissed slightly, feeling the twist against his sensitive stump. The scars from his torture were still red and fresh despite the significant time that had passed since the events and walking was still a real chore but he had tried flying in before and the sight of a dragon in the sky had spooked her and she had escaped. So even though he suffered, he was determined not to alert her this time.

He had trudged round the muddy track out of town when the black shape of Toothless emerged from behind a pile of boulders, giving a little warble of greeting and the one-legged Viking embraced his dragon in relief. Obligingly, the Night Fury half-crouched and waggled his rear, obviously inviting the weary Hiccup to climb aboard. With a sigh, he shook his head.

"Much as I'd love to, bud, I don't wanna risk alerting them," he sighed. "We've been so close so often and she's always seen us coming and escaped." His emerald eyes hardened. "Which is why we didn't fly in today and instead got Traders Tuff and Ruff to bring us. Now we need to find Stormfly before Astrid can suspect anything and go missing again."

Toothless made a grumbling noise, shaking his head but falling into step alongside the limping young man. It hurt Toothless that his human brother was in pain, having to walk rather than ride on the dragon but he was frustrated as well, concerned that the Nadder kept escaping despite the fact that Toothless and Hiccup meant neither fugitive any harm. Toothless was a good tracker, almost the equal of the Nadder and he meant to find her.

They walked for an hour through the mud and the drizzle, silently searching for the pair. Hiccup's stump was agonising but he knew Astrid was somewhere on this island and if he could just find her, just tell him what he had to, then he was sure that she would listen. Eagerly, Toothless accelerated forwards, bounding down the shallow slope that led to a scrubby copse of fir and gorse backing against a pock-marked sandy grey cliff and giving a small barking roar.

There was a scuffle and the sounds of branches and leaves moving before a shape emerged. For a long second, Hiccup was tense, his hands raised to fend off whatever was coming-and then a familiar blue and gold dragon emerged from the brush. She gave a small, happy croak and surged forward as Hiccup's face tilted in a relieved smile.

"Stormfly! Good to see you!" he exclaimed, pressing his hands to her snout before gently stroking her nose. "We've missed you, girl. Toothless has missed you!" The Nadder gave a sad croak, nudging her nose towards Hiccup's lean shape and happily accepted the lavish affection he gave her. Finally, he leaned close to her.

"Where's Astrid?" he breathed. Stormfly gave another unhappy chirp and rubbed against him, her head rising and looking towards the north. He sighed. "Toothless-hold her!" he commanded. "Don't let her leave you-and in that case, Astrid can't run away." Then he quietly limped through the gorse before pulling his brown patched cloak and hood up against the insistent drizzle. Now he looked, there was a narrow track leading through the scrub grass, winding away to the north. Groaning at the rolling way, Hiccup painfully limped along the track and sweated his way up the low but persistent slope-until he finally topped the rise and saw a small hollow spread beneath him-including a small wooden shack.

He paused, breathing hard and staring down the slope. The wooden hut was small and looked fairly sturdy, with new timbers hammered to patch up weathered walls. The roof was newly shingled and a curl of smoke rose from the chimney hole. But there was the sound of chopping from beside the house and he cautiously began to walk down the little rise towards the small home. There was a wood store and lean-to that had a couple of birds and fish hanging and as he approached, he saw her, pausing to carefully inspect her as she worked.

She wasn't as he recalled, sheathed in a poor grey cloth dress, the long skirt with muddy hem brushing the rocky ground, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing her bindings as she wielded her axe with the accuracy and skill that she had earned over the years. Her sun bright hair was braided in a functional thick braid straight down her back, her face red with effort. Taking a small breath, Hiccup resumed his trudge down the slope and he almost made it within a handful of yards of the hovel when she spun, her axe suddenly held with lethal intent, levelled at him.

"Don't take another step, stranger," she growled, her azure eyes locked on the cloaked and hooded shape. "Just turn around and leave.'

"I can't do that," Hiccup said gruffly. "I've been looking for you."

Astrid took a step closer, eyes narrowed and beautiful face locked into a scowl as she levelled the axe at him.

"Do you know who I am?" she breathed. "Have you heard what I've done?" Hiccup shoved the hood back and his emerald eyes met hers, a small smile lifting his pale, lightly freckled face.

"Yes, I do," he smiled. "Hello, Astrid," he added. Her eyes widened and she backed away.

"No..." she breathed. "Stormfly! STORMFLY!" The young Viking walked towards her, his limping gait catching her attention and she raised her axe.

"Astrid-she won't come," he said firmly. "I asked Toothless to watch her-and prevent her taking you away." She backed away, shaking her head.

"No..."

"Astrid," Hiccup said calmly. "We need to talk."

"There's nothing to stay," she said stubbornly. "I made my choice..."

"You didn't make mine," he told her and lunged forward, his hand tightening around her wrist to stop her getting away. Hiccup was much stronger than his skinny shape suggested-from hanging onto Toothless at insane speeds and years of smithing before that-and she pulled back fiercely, feeling him resist her.

"Let me go!" she snapped as she tugged harder.

"Make me, Astrid," he said levelly. "Look-you're my best friend-best human friend, my Betrothed-and I need you. I don't know why you ran and never returned." His emerald eyes darkened with hurt and worry. "I missed you. I needed you." She looked away, suddenly ceasing pulling. "I love you." She stared at the ground for a long moment and then she sighed.

"I had to go-because they couldn't be allowed to get away with hurting you," she said quietly. "Hiccup-they tortured you so badly-and you're such a brave ass that you took it. You always give yourself up for us. You never let anyone step into danger if you can instead..."

"...which is my job as leader," he reminded her reasonably. Her eyes snapped up to glare at him then.

"Hiccup-you nearly died!" she yelled at him. "We had to rescue you. And I had to see you so terribly hurt. My heart broke when I realised what they had done to you, Hiccup. And then to find out they had poisoned you as well...they never meant to let you go, despite their vow. They lied and meant for you to die and for us to watch, helpless. And when we passed the time when the antidote would work, I knew I couldn't just sit there and watch you perish to such agony. My heart was broken. And I knew...I knew they would never stop. They had come after you again and again...and you had been an idiot again and again. I believed it had cost you your life. So I did the only thing I could do: I took the fight back to them. I made them pay for your death."

His eyes darkened and his brows dipped. He was a man who tried to avoid killing, though he had killed in the past, but only in the direst extremes. But he knew that Astrid was a warrior, trained from early childhood and far more aggressive and ferocious than he was. She was always the one who had military tactics, defensive positions and weapons at the front of her mind, though she had learned to temper her anger during her time in the Riders.

"Astrid," he said gently. "You should have waited. I was fighting with everything I could to get back to you. You were what I had to live for." The faint accusation was there, that he had woken and found her gone. And when she had run from him even after he had survived. Absently, his thumb gently rubbed over the back of her hand. "I was coming back to you. And when I recovered...we could have stopped them together..." She shook her head.

"Hiccup-not even mentioning that you were dying and even Gothi had said it was hopeless, that I believed I had lost you-you would have stopped me doing what I had to," she said heavily. "These people are ruthless and vicious. They have no regard for life. And you do. You are kind and generous and brave and you always give people the chance. I don't because I see the grey and darkness in their souls. I know if you turn your back on them, they will put a knife in it. I know if you let them live, they will come again. And I know their word is worthless."

"And you think running from me is the answer?" he asked her, his voice dropping. She shook her head.

"I-I couldn't face you...because the hurt in your eyes, the disappointment will break my heart..." she admitted, looking away. "And those who remain are after me and have sent a host of killers. They will always be after me. So you are in danger if I am near you."

"Astrid-I'm always in danger," he reminded her dryly. "And I'll be in more danger if I have to keep chasing to the ends of the Archipelago to find you."

"Then let me go," she sighed, defeated. "I would have thought you'd get the message in the fact that I run every time I see the slightest sign of you or any of the other riders? That I said goodbye. That I...that I brought back your Betrothal gift...because I knew I don't deserve you any more..."

"Hey-I'm Hiccup," he reminded her wryly. "A knuckleheaded fishbone son of a Viking Chief. I have stubbornness issues." She shook her head.

"And I am a disgrace to the Tribe and to you," she told him defeatedly. "You know I can't remain. It's best if you just let me go and forget me." His eyes widened in horror.

"I can't, Astrid," he told her urgently, his grip on her wrist tightening. "I can't imagine a world without you in."

"Then don't," she told him simply. "I'm in it-just somewhere else. I'm no longer worthy of your friendship." He pulled her closer.

"Astrid-I need you," he told her gently. "How-how can I control the Riders without you? Who will keep the twins in order...?" She stared at him, disappointed.

"Really? Is that where you're going?' she asked sharply and he shook his head.

"No," he said despondently. "No, I'm a mutton-head. I-I need you...because I love you. With every fibre of my being, every beat of my heart, every breath I take...I love you and need you and want you. I only survived because I wanted to stay with you. In my fever dream, I was chasing to be with you-because that was all I ever thought of. And I will never stop chasing you, to the ends of the world. I will never accept my life without you in it."

She stared, eyes wide and then she shook her head.

"You can't..." she breathed. "I am a pariah, an outcast, a..."

"Ferocious, beautiful, brave Valkyrie," Hiccup told her, lifting his other hand to rest against her cheek. "The woman I have loved since I was ten. Astrid-I will never give up on you. I can't-because you are my life, my heart, the air that I breathe. The only love of my life. And-and I know I'm too stupid and cowardly to say anything because I was afraid that you would just laugh at me...but I have to now because otherwise, I will lose you." He was staring deep into her eyes, reading her uncertainty, her horrible shame and his fingers gently stroked her cold cheeks, leaning closer. "No matter what, whatever you want it to mean, there should always be a Hiccup and Astrid," he reminded her.

She stared into his eyes and then she looked away, tears shining in her beautiful gaze.

"I killed them all," she whispered. "Viggo, Krogan...the Hunters..." She looked up. "But I missed Johann." Hiccup blinked.

"Trader Johann?" he asked in a resigned voice and she nodded. "Dad mentioned you warned him about Johann-but he couldn't give me any details. I mean...it sounds insane...but I did believe him. I have warned the others not to trust him...though I'm not sure if they believed me...I mean...he's Johann..."

"He's working with Viggo and Krogan," she revealed softly. "In fact, he was the one giving orders..." Hiccup shook his head head, frowning.

"Sorry-this is Johann we're talking about?" he checked. "Not that I doubt you at all, Milady. No siree. But...the man who could talk a Gronckle to death? The man with the most implausible tales this side of...ever? The man who got marooned by the Smothering Smokebreaths and then by Snot and the twins? That Johann? In charge of Viggo? I mean...he never showed anything like that whenever we've seen him..." She stared into his eyes and nodded.

"This is why I'm hiding," she explained softly. "He can be anywhere-and I have no idea who I can trust. Everyone believes jovial, friendly Johann-and no one will credit that he is behind...everything..." His emerald eyes narrowed and she feared for a moment that he would disbelieve her...but he gave a slow, dispirited nod.

"In fact...it makes perfect sense when you put it like that," he realised slowly. "The Terrible Terror that got most of us off Dragon's Edge just when the Hunters attacked. The tip off that stranded me in the market. When he sent Heather and I after Dagur, he assured us he would be alone...but he had a full armada with him. And his ship was conveniently on Outcast Island just as Dagur escaped." Astrid nodded.

"No one suspects him-because he's Trader Johann-a bit of a joke, always full of tall tales, servile and self-effacing...everyone's friend..." Her voice darkened. "And no one's." Both of them started as a reddish brown Terrible Terror squawked and soared out of the drizzle, colliding with Hiccup. He almost stumbled but Astrid quickly steadied him, her hand warm on his waist. He cast her a thankful look, his skin tingling with the brief contact as he calmed Iggy with a practiced movement and untied the letter from his leg. The dragon chirruped and flapped up to sit on Astrid's roof. Emerald eyes scanned the letter as Hiccup's brows dipped as he looked up, worried, to stare into her eyes.

"Heather, Fishlegs and Snotlout are with him," he said quietly.

"What?"

"Well, I couldn't fly in because you kept running away," he pointed out dryly, "so I devised a way to search for you using fake 'traders'. I was so keen to find you that Tuff borrowed Mulch's ship and the twins pretended to be Traders...taking Toothless and I with them. The others were supposed to scout out nearby islands. This is from Fishlegs to say they had met Johann on Craggy Island and he had said he had seen you. So Snot agreed for them to travel with him."

Astrid exhaled shakily.

"Did no one listen to my warning?" she grumbled.

"My father made a point to warn me and I warned everyone," he assured her. "But this is my cousin we're talking about. He's the definition of mutton-head. And lazy. If someone told him he had your address, he would fly there without even thinking because it was easy!" Astrid rolled her eyes, looking exasperated.

"Johann is dangerous," she said firmly. "He was using Viggo and the DragonEye and the lenses-because he is looking for something called 'the King of Dragons'. He believes he will control all dragons through some sort of mind control...and that will enable him to rule and become the richest man on Midgard." She sighed. "He killed real Traders to get his tales and his ship to start with."

Hiccup's eyes widened and he recalled that four Traders-Trader Derek, Trader Finnbar, Trader Cedric and the real Trader Bernard-had gone down when the Submaripper was used to blockade Berk...but Johann had escaped.

"Thanks for getting the DragonEye to me," he said softly. "At least I know it's safe and he can't use it..." And then he sighed. "But they're in danger," he murmured and glanced over his shoulder at Toothless. "I've put them in danger...I should have known Johann would be looking out for us...to lead him to you. Thor..." Her hand found his and her fingers curled gently around his, feeling him automatically grasp back. A hand rested on his suddenly slumped shoulder and she gently lifted his chin.

"Hiccup-this wasn't your fault," she assured him gently. "You weren't to know that Snotlout and Fishlegs would be so stupid." And then she swallowed. "Though it's not the biggest surprise, to be honest. And I guess Heather would trust Johann because he was her contact for so long. But in the end, it's my fault-because I should have killed him-or come home and faced my fate." He took a sighing breath and leaned closer.

"My father doesn't blame you at all," he murmured. "He is proud of what you have done. You have done what he could not...because he had to remain on Berk. You avenged the attack on his son...and as my Betrothed, it was your right as well." She met his gaze boldly now.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I let you down. You needed me with you as you fought for your life-but I had to go. It broke my heart to see you so hurt and dying."

"I needed you," he reminded her and leaned close, his lips ghosting her cheek. "Because I love you. And I don't want to go on without you. I came back and clung on because I wanted to see you again. And I will chase you to the ends of this Realm to find you." He leaned forward and his lips tenderly met hers, feeling her almost pull away-and then surrender, melting into the kiss. His hand slid into her hair and held her close.

"I'm sorry..." she murmured as he leaned his forehead against hers.

"Milady, I will never give up on you," he breathed. "If you run, I will chase you for the rest of my life. You are my heart..." His hand rose and he pulled back briefly, gently putting the pendant, his Betrothal gift, back around her neck. Then he pulled her close into another searing kiss.

There were tears in her eyes when he pulled back and she managed a small smile.

"I'm not running again," she said. "Our friends are in danger and we have one last enemy to take on." His hand gently tightened on her shoulder as he stared into her eyes.

"Please...don't kill him unless I give the order," he said softly and she nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips, the cold fury tempered by the warmth of his presence, his love coursing through her. Alone, all had been cold and hard and danger but here, with Hiccup, there was suddenly hope. It felt as if she was home, as if part of her had been restored.

"Whatever you want, Babe," she said and then she sighed. "But he is ruthless, cold and cruel. Don't let him know you suspect...but don't lower your guard. He carries knives in his sleeves and is deadly accurate..." She instinctively touched her side and his eyes widened.

"He got you?" he asked worriedly but she smiled wanly.

"I'm good now, Babe," she reassured him as he slid his arm around her shoulders.

"Anything you want to bring?" he asked. "I have Tuff and Ruff in a ship waiting in the village." She smirked.

"My pack, my axe and Stormfly," she told him and he smiled. "And then we can fly back to the others...together..."

"If you run..." he warned her, wincing as he shifted on his painful stump and her arm tightened around his waist.

"Babe-I'm not going anywhere-not any more," she promised. "I'm back with you-where I should be-and we have a traitor catch...and our friends to save..." Toothless gave a roar and there was the answering screech from Stormfly as she swooped in and landed by her Rider. Hiccup grinned.

"Okay, my ferocious Valkyrie-let's find that traitor."