Astrid's eyes snapped open wide in utter shock as Hiccup pressed her back against the wooden wall of the stall and kissed her. A part of her was shocked and outraged that Hiccup-a damned drudge and possible traitor, when all was said and done-had dared to lay a finger on her without invitation, let alone kiss her. But another, more treacherous part was intensely aware of his warm, enclosing presence, his hands pressed flat against the wooden divider to each side of her head, his surprisingly soft lips barely grazing hers and wisps of his soft auburn hair brushing her forehead. His breath gently caressed her skin.

"Keep still," he mumbled against her lips, his body arched over hers, effectively covering her as he maintained the lightest of contacts in the kiss.

"What have we here?" a voice sneered from above-and Astrid shivered, keeping her eyes closed and body locked against his, her hands instinctively closing around his lean and tense torso. Ryker leaned over the stall divider and peered down at the boy and his hidden companion, unsure who he was seeing. "Break it up, boy! If my men catch you rutting, they'll make you regret your stupidity...though maybe your companion will appreciate the upgrade..."

Hiccup tensed further but didn't move, though his breathing had accelerated. Deliberately, he moved a hand over to press against Astrid's cheek-on the side closest to the General-and apparently deepened the kiss, though his hand covered her identity further. Snorting in laughter, the big General stomped away, calling his men and passing a very disparaging comment. But it was only when the steps died away that Hiccup pulled back, scooting backwards almost as if scalded, his cheeks scorching with embarrassment. 

Astrid's dazed blue eyes fluttered open, her cheeks lightly flushed and pink lips slightly parted, her breath coming in soft, wonder-filled pants. Suddenly, she felt warm inside, her lips burning with the memory of the gentle yet surprisingly sweet kiss, even as the cool breeze caressed her face as her protector pulled away.

"S-sorry," Hiccup mumbled, inching further away, emerald eyes downcast. "I...um...heard him approaching and I thought he...they...well...yeah..."

A blonde, delicate eyebrow arched above amused azure eyes and her lips lifted in a smile.

"That is the worst explanation I have ever heard," she pointed out and his shoulders slumped, every trace of the man who had just kissed her vanishing.

"I'm sorry," he said simply and scrambled to his feet but she lunged forward and captured his hand before he could run. Lithely, she rose to her feet and stared up into his horribly self-conscious face.

"Hiccup," she said more gently, realising that her usual brusque tone would spook him. "You kissed me." He nodded dumbly, chewing a lip.

"Um...yeah, Milady," he admitted in a low voice. "It was the only way I could think of covering your identity where Ryker wouldn't expect us to look up and stand to attention...and well, you're a...and I'm a...so it was sort of plausible." He took an embarrassed breath. "And my Dad always pointed out that people are brought up to look away from couples engaged in well...because of societal norms...so it is a reasonably effective form of disguise..."

Holy Thor...that is the most cool and clear-headed reasoning in a split second that I have ever heard, Astrid realised, staring up into his lightly-flushed face. Sure he was bruised and battered from his various encounters but he had chased her when no one else did their duty; he had risked his life-and certainly earned some cruel treatment to get her out of Outcast; he had stopped her riding heedless straight into the arms of traitors; he had taken her safely through the mountains and he had disguised her to protect her as they entered the Hunter lands. Oh, and he had saved her life in the fight from treachery that she as a naive noblewoman-trained in arms, not battle-would not have expected but which he certainly had. And his reward had been a blow that could have cost him his life. 

And as he looked up, she was struck again by how luminous his emerald eyes were, how his pale, lightly freckled skin and sharp jaw were framed by his messy auburn hair. And by how cute his blush was.

What in Freya's name was that? Cute? This was Hiccup Haddock, the dishonoured and diminished outcast son of the disgraced Commander, an imposter as a squire and as low as he could be in the hierarchy of the kingdom. If anything, she shouldn't even be speaking to him, let alone thinking that word in relation to him! Cute? She was a Princess, for Thor's sake. She was expected to marry a man older than her for the advancement of Berk's security who would provide strong governance for her people-no matter what her personal feelings were. 

But her lips were almost burning from his kiss and her heart was fluttering in her chest in a way she had never felt it behave before-and all after this kiss from this cute, brave, selfless, sarcastic, loyal...boy. Not even a prince or a lord...or even a squire. But somehow better than all of those and all rolled into one cute, tall, lean, self-conscious and blushing package. 

So she punched his shoulder and he flinched but said nothing, merely giving a small nod of acknowledgement-but she grabbed his hand again and pulled him to look at her.

"You know no one has ever kissed me like...that...before?" she asked him and his eyes flicked up, widening in shock and sudden realisation.

"Highness," he whispered. "I-I..." He sagged. "I'm sorry," he finished, defeatedly. 

"I probably should arrest you for that," she commented lightly.

"The other squires are here so all you have to do is call out," he pointed out dully but her hand tightened around his.

"If I wanted to, I could," she conceded with a small smile. "But have you not wondered why I am still here with you rather than sitting with Captain Spitelout and his charges?" His emerald eyes flicked up.

"The thought had crossed my mind," he shrugged, seeing her smile. "Um-why are you smiling, Milady?"

"Hmm...I quite like 'Milady'," she told him. "Because you taught me a valuable lesson: not to trust my father's men at face value. Because many of them seem to have ulterior motives. Case in point is Spitelout. He was supposed to lead the squires on the hunt-and he was so drunk he turned back after half an hour and left his incompetent son in charge. So he will want to get his hands on me and find some way to pressurise me into corroborating his story that you were in the wrong."

"I was," Hiccup sighed, staring deep into her eyes, his expression candid. "I knowingly impersonated a squire of the Berk Knight Corps. And though I thought I was doing a friend a favour-when in fact, he was probably just using me so he could dally with some woman-I was in the wrong."

"And yet you were the only person who acted like a squire and did everything-and more-to rescue me from the Outcast castle," she countered. "You protected me when those who should have...didn't." His grip tightened very slightly on her hand.

"It is my duty," he pointed out tonelessly and she gave a sympathetic smile.

"But it's not-not really," she gently reminded him. "When you stopped being a squire, you lost that responsibility..." He sighed.

"Milady, I was raised from when I could walk to look after the Royal Family," he told her softly. "My father was the most loyal and brave man in the kingdom and he would have been shamed to have a son who did not honour his ideals. I have shamed his memory by being dishonoured and I couldn't shame him more by failing you."

"You haven't," she assured him. "Of all of them, you haven't, Hiccup." He managed a wan smile.

"Thank you, Milady," he sighed. "I see you've brought your bags. That is wise-because this place is too dangerous. We need to get out of here tonight." He peered beyond the stall and nodded. "Stay here-Fury will protect you. I'll fetch supplies..." And then he pulled away from her, lifting his chin and staring into the gloom. "And I have one small task to complete." She stared at him and nodded.

"Be safe," she said gently and he nodded one, dipping his head in acknowledgement and ducking through the gate to the stall as she watched, pressing her fingers to her mouth. Blinking, she shook her head, then turned to the horses.

"Let's get you two ready to go..." she began and then started, for both were staring at her. "And what are you looking at?"

oOo

Hiccup was darting through the passages back to the kitchen, trying to recall the quickest way to the store-room where the dragon was being held-along with the dried stores while trying not to think about what he had just done.  It had been the only thing that had come into his mind as he had caught the echo of Ryker's voice because there was something about the General that turned Hiccup's blood to ice. The man's dark brown eyes were cruel and calculating and he knew the man had seen him comfort the Princess that night on the journey, guessing their relationship was significantly different to female knight and humble squire. And it was...but not as the Grimborn brother suspected.

Of course, they had been told the story by the squires and he had no idea if Viggo bought the lie or had his own view...though the memory of the man's intelligence and those calculating, icy eyes had Hiccup concerned. There was always the chance that Viggo could capture Astrid for his own ends...either to ransom her to Berk-or possibly Count Drago...or perhaps to take her for himself and stake  his own claim on the throne of Berk as her new husband. And, of course, there were still a few of Ryker's men who seemed to mean the young man some serious harm.

Kissing Astrid had been a reckless, insane impulse as the quickest and most effective way to cover her face and shield her from scrutiny. But the fact that she had kissed him back-hesitant and gentle but definitely deliberate-had confused him more. She had been pretty mean and cruel to him at times, for she was strong-willed and used to getting her own way-even when she had no idea what she was doing. And what she had said to him up in the mountains...he shouldn't have let it get to him...but it did hurt. And he had wondered why he was risking his life saving such a thoughtless woman, though he knew the answer to that as well: the duty his father had hammered into his body and soul through his entire life.

A knight is loyal to his liege lord unto death. No matter the calibre of that lord.

Yet when he had intervened in the fight to save her life and taken the hit from Ryker, when his world shattered into red and darkness and pain, he never expected to wake to Astrid's soft voice, her hand gentling his cheek and her arm cradling his limp form. It had been a different person and one that he had found confusing but much more likeable. And she had been kinder and more thoughtful to him since that time-though maybe it was an act just to fool their hosts. No matter: she was his charge and he would do everything he could to bring her home safe...even at the cost of his life. But it certainly made the journey easier if she was being civil to him rather than reinforcing his utterly demeaned state. 

A hand grabbed him and he spun found as he was shoved back into an alcove, the way blocked by a large, bulky shape silhouetted against the flickering golden light of the torches in the sconces every few feet along the stone passage. 

"I thought it was you," a familiar voice said and Hiccup bunched his fists, emerald eyes narrowing in surprise and anger at himself for letting himself get distracted. 

"Fishlegs," he breathed, backing up a half-step and feeling the stone at his back. "You don't have to do this..."

"Relax!" the husky squire said, raising his hands unthreateningly. "I don't mean you any harm..."

"Forgive me for not actually believing you," Hiccup shot back, his low voice tight with mistrust. "You're here with the squires who are hunting me to silence me and bring me back as a scapegoat for your incompetence!" He was rewarded by seeing Fishlegs's eyes widen with shock. "Yeah-I heard you in the kitchen." 

"Then you know that Spitelout, Snotlout and Thuggory are leading this mission," Fishlegs told him. "And they are all covering their asses as fast as they can."

"Which begs the question-why are you going along with them?" Hiccup asked him pointedly. "If they will blame me for Thuggory and Snotlout's crimes, what's to stop them blaming you or anyone else next time they mess up?" He forced his hands to relax. "A knight must trust his fellows with his life. Without trust, there is nothing."

"The Commander really lived by all those rules, didn't he?" the husky squire said and the auburn haired young man nodded.

"Seriously," he replied softly. "But think about it. They're powerful because they're true." And then he stared into he round face of the squire. "You gonna try to capture me or what?" Fishlegs rapidly shook his head and sighed.

"Is the Princess safe?" he asked. Hiccup took a small pace forward and emerged from the deep shadows, flickering golden light picking out his battered features. 

"I've made sure she is," he said quietly. "No job is too small nor task too difficult, remember?"

"So...I was wondering why the Princess hadn't just come to us as soon as she realised her rescue party was here," the husky young squire said, fiddling with his chubby fingers. "I mean, doesn't she want to go home?" Hiccup tilted his head, his emerald eyes narrowed.

"I think," he said carefully, "that she doesn't want to have to watch me executed for your mistakes." There was a visible stiffening of Fishlegs's hunched shoulders. "And why would she trust her safety to the people who betrayed and let her be taken before?"

"Because we're her squires, her vassals!" the husky squire snapped.

"And you were when you were supposed to be watching over her-and instead you all sat down and let her ride off with that damned traitor Eret!" Hiccup reminded him sharply. "I was her squire as well, Fish. I never committed any crime, failed any order or shamed my King. So why did no one stand up for me when I was cast out of the squires? Why didn't one single person raise his hand and object?" 

Fishlegs had the grace to blush, his blue-green eyes downcast.

"I was a coward," he admitted slowly, his voice tremulous. "But...but the King had made the decree and if anyone had spoken up,  they would have faced the same fate. And my parents...my parents were so proud I had made the squires and was going to become a knight..." He paused. "I couldn't let them down. You-you understand that?"

"Kinda difficult since my Mom died when I was very small and my Dad gave his life for the King," Hiccup snarked and then paused, seeing the hurt in the other boy's eyes. "I always wanted to make my father proud," he added wearily. "And he wouldn't be proud now." Fishlegs stepped back a pace.

"You know Spitelout wanted you out so Snot could be leading squire," Fishlegs admitted, his face apologetic. "You were always fair and decent, Hicc-you never allowed too much ribbing. Now...well, Snot and his friends are cruel to everyone. They tease me because I'm...husky...and because of my awesome knowledge of history, weaponry and tactics." 

"What about dragons?" Hiccup mumbled.

"What?"

"Sorry." The young imposter shrugged. "I mean, I knew that had to be why...but they are my kin. It's such a callous thing to do..."

"It's just not been the same since you left," Fishlegs said softly but Hiccup's eyes glittered.

"You make it sound so...voluntary..." he snarked. "Not like I was thrown out and cast among the drudges." Fishlegs's eyes filled with hurt and Hiccup sighed. "Look-you were one of my closest friends in the squires, Fish, but when it all went down, I lost my Dad and my life and my dreams all in one go."

"I...want to be your friend again," Fishlegs said as the imposter stared at him.

"Forgive me if I don't believe you," Hiccup said pointedly. "Thuggory claimed to be my friend as well when I saw him-and look how that ended up." And he hardened his heart to Fishlegs's hurt expression. "Look-I'm going to ask you the same question Gobber asked me when I told him I had met Thuggory again: where have you been the last three years?"

"I already said..."

"You had a thousand days to be my friend," Hiccup said firmly. "Prove it, if you want to be."

"How?" There was a definite plea in Fishlegs's words. "Hicc-I can see what Snot and Thug are doing is wrong. We should escort you home and take our penance...and regain our honour. But they just want to compound their crimes by capturing you and pinning everything on you... I can see it-and so can the twins."

That did stun Hiccup to silence, his emerald eyes widening for a moment.

"You're kidding?" he asked dryly. "The crazy twins?"Fishlegs frowned, a defensive look covering his face.

"Hey! Ruff is a really interesting and smart person..." he protested.

"Once you get past the wildness and Loki-worship?" Hiccup suggested and stared as a nostalgic smile covered his big face. 

"Yeah..." 

"Are you blushing?" Hiccup enquired, almost smiling. There was a small nod. "Okay-if we get out of here without my being killed or captured, I'll be prepared to think of you as a friend, okay?" Fishlegs offered him his hand.

"The twins won't take much persuading," he confirmed. "And we'll keep them distracted-though I can't guarantee keeping them off your trail for long." Hiccup clasped his hand.

"Thanks," he said as Fishlegs stood aside and let him past. 

"Just...take care, Hiccup-okay?" the husky squire said in a low voice and then Hiccup gave a small grin.

"You know me," he said honestly as he headed off down the passage towards the storeroom. "There's nothing I can't manage to mess up."

oOo

The room was colder and danker than he recalled-but the cage was still there, the black dragon curled as much as it could in its miserable cage. Its wounds were horrible against its black hide and Hiccup could almost smell the despondency and fear. Checking no one was around, he walked forward cautiously, stopping by a barrel of salt fish and snagging an offering. Then he slowly advanced to the cage, crouching down to stare into the wounded face, the raw wound barely crusted. Slowly, he extended his hand through the bars. 

"Toothless?" he murmured and an eye cracked open-just a sliver. The dragon gave a weary croon as he offered the fish. And though he was clearly hungry, Toothless ignored the fish, pressing his nose into Hiccup's hand, almost as if he was seeking some solace in his last hours. "I promised I would come back,  Toothless. And I won't let you down." 

He cast around for a bag and swiftly filled it with supplies, then drew out his knife and knelt by the lock. There was a nostalgic smile on his face.

"You know, I work in a blacksmith's shop, a forge when I can-and have since I was about ten or eleven," he said gently, delicately inserting the point into the lock. "My Dad wanted me to learn how to shoe my own horse and mend and create weapons. But as part of that work, I learnt a lot about locks. Making them, mending them...and breaking them..."

oOo

Fishlegs found the twins in the kitchen, throwing shallots at each other and complaining that Snotlout had assigned them the midnight guard duty once more.

"Man, Snot is no fun any more," Tuff moaned.

"He never was any," his sister reminded him. "But the problem is now that he and especially Thuggory are looking for a way out of this-and will blame anyone and use anyone to try to get themselves off. But we all know they are the two most to blame-Snot for his incompetence and Thuggory for not even bothering to get out of bed."

"I saw him!" Fishlegs squeaked, sliding into the seat by Ruff, who rolled her eyes. She did in fact like Fishlegs, but she would be damned to Loki if she encouraged him so easily: he needed to come much further over to the wild side before she would betray her feelings.

"What?" Tuff mumbled. "Oh-you mean Hicc-" Ruff slapped a hand overs mouth.

"Shhh..." she urged him. "Is he okay?"

"He's got this far," Fish said, "and he's got the Princess. He's going to leave-before Thuggory can...well..."

"And none of us trust the Grimborns," Tuff added. "Look-this is a bad business. If we don't do anything, we'll be totally screwed. The way Thuggory turned on Hiccup-when he set him up-that's treachery, man."

"And if he will do that to the person he sent to get him his day off, then he'll do it to anyone..." Ruff stated with an unimpressed look. 

"I mean, he was a good enough Thuggory to fool Snot-because Snot is an idiot," Tuff continued. "But I mean-he was too good to be Thuggory. I mean, he wasn't utterly wasted and hung over-that was a massive clue!"

"And he didn't check when Snot finally paid him," Ruff added. "I mean, everyone knows that Snot always pays pennies instead of kronor the first time and always claims he used the 'wrong purse'-until you call him out for it. And that's when he hands over the wager-with enormous whinging, of course!"

"Wait-so you knew it wasn't Thuggory-and you didn't tell anyone?" Fishlegs asked then, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"I thought you'd notice!" Ruff pointed out. "I mean, you are the smartest person in the squires..."

"But you didn't tell anyone?" the husky boy pressed irritably. Tuff shrugged.

"Hey, he was doing much better than we were!" he protested. 

"Well, he's still doing better than we are," Fish hissed, leaning close. "Look-he's got her safe-and he's leaving..." The twins shared a look.

"And we're letting him go?" Ruff guessed. "I mean, he got her away from the Outcasts and here safe..."

"Hey-do you want Snot and Thuggory to get away with this?" her twin asked her. 

"Look-if we help them, at least we are starting to pay the penance for our own failures," Fishlegs sighed. 

"That doesn't sound like much fun either," Tuffnut complained then caught his sister's sharp expression. "But I guess it has to be done." The husky squire  stared at them and looked uncomfortable. Ruff nut started at him.

"Okay-what is it?' she asked and then she sighed. "You want us to cause a diversion?" Tuff grinned and leaned forward.

"At least you came to the right people..." he said. "And I already have a plan..."

oOo

Astrid had finished feeding and saddling the horses and was starting to get worried that Hiccup was in trouble. Not that he hadn't shown himself to be brave, quick-thinking, inventive and capable: it was just he seemed to attract trouble and ended up suffering. And while there was still a part of her that was determined to look down on him because he was a dishonoured and disgraced menial, the larger part reminded her that he was the same boy who had been her friend when they were small and her brother was still alive...and he had rescued and protected her as he had sworn.

She gave a sigh and then suddenly dropped down behind the wooden panel as she heard steps approach-accompanied by some all too familiar voices. 

"Viggo's hiding something," Thuggory said as he strode through the stalls, his head swinging from side to side as his dark eyes flicked over the beasts stabled in the large space. "He seemed way too smug when we were describing Hiccup and the Princess."

"You think he's seen them?" Snotlout asked.

"I think he knows exactly where they are!" Thuggory growled and then he smiled. "There-I thought I'd seen something familiar." He pointed and Dogsbreath and Snotlout grinned as they saw the familiar blue roan mare and the jet stallion. 

"Is that...?" Dogsbreath asked in surprise. Thuggory gave a wide grin.

"Fury," he growled. "My horse. And the Princess's. They're here."

Silently, Astrid slid her sword from its sheath and leaned back, eyes wide and breathing hard as the steps grew ever closer...

oOo

Hiccup almost missed the quiet click as the lock opened because he was still talking to the dragon, trying to soothe the beast but in reality, he was offloading all his woes on the black dragon that watched quietly as he quietly picked the lock.

"...I mean, they wouldn't even let Gobber speak! As soon as Dad was declared a traitor, Gobber was summoned to the Chancellor and was told that the King had decreed that he was to be released from being the weapons tutor to the squires because he was tainted by his association with a known traitor. They-they even threatened to remove him as blacksmith...except no one else could do it...except me. So they dismissed him and though he was willing to risk his position to help me, they denied him access to the King to plead my case. So he lost his teaching job as well as his friend...but thank Thor he still looked out for me or I really would have curled up and died..."

"Which is very fascinating but hardly germane to the current situation," a very smooth and educated voice said. Hiccup froze as he recognised Lord Viggo's measured tones and he lifted his auburn head, wide emerald eyes flicking to see the younger Grimborn walk towards him, his naked sword gleaming in the flickering torchlight.

"Actually, it probably is," Hiccup replied tonelessly. It's just another example of my abysmal luck...

"From what your colleagues tell me, I had expected something more...impressive," Viggo commented coolly. "No-don't get up-I prefer you on your knees. After all, you are the cunning evil traitor who bewitched the Princess into running away with him-or was it the traitor who kidnapped her and took her to Outcast and then..." His thick eyebrows arched above his icy cold brown eyes.

"Um...neither of those actually," Hiccup replied. Slowly, Viggo paced round to face him, the point of his sword inches from his heart. 

"But unerringly in the wrong place at the wrong time...as now," Viggo accused him, his tone still apparently pleasant. "So tell me, traitor, before I hand you over to your people who will no doubt maim and ultimately kill you...what are you doing with my dragon?"