Anarchy

Chapter 8

Hiccup's POV

Max had passed out from the pain after I pulled the arrow out. I managed to wrap gauze around her stomach while Jack still held her hand.

"She'll be fine Jack." I murmured.

"You've never seen her like this. So close to death before..." Jack whispered.

I froze, "And you have?!"

Jack stiffened, "Remember that training everyone has to go through I told you about?"

I gritted my teeth, "Yes..."

"About that..." Jack started. "My dad has this training that everyone has to go through and they treat them like...prisoners..."

"No..." I whispered.

Max groaned, "It's not a big deal Dad..."

"Of course it's a big deal! They probably tortured you...did they?" I demanded.

"That I'm not allowed to tell you..." Max sat up and cracked her back.

"Max you should be resting." Jack insisted.

"I'm fine." She stood up as Shadow bounded into the room. He kept nudging her as if he wanted to leave. "Yeah yeah we'll go. Did you take the Dragon Eye?"

I shook my head, "No you can have it. Max please I have to know..."

She glanced at Jack who reluctantly nodded. She turned and lifted up the back of her shirt showing scars, whip marks all over her back and disfiguring her tattoos.

"They did that to you?!" My jaw dropped.

"The point is to get us not to tell us anything. To train them to tell even when they're threatened or their dragon is threatened." Jack explained.

"Do they willingly get you to become a prisoner?" I asked.

Max put her shirt down and turned around, "No...they trick you...and make you believe that they're really crazy people..."

"That part I'm not particularly proud of..." Jack murmured.

"I have to go. I'm sorry you had to find out Dad..." Max said climbing on Shadow.

"Max you should rest. You shot by an arrow." I insisted.

She shook her head, "I'm fine."

"Max..." Jack pressed grabbing her arm.

She glared at him, "Let. Me. Go."

He didn't.

What Max did next was a blur. She spun unsheathing her staff and hitting Jack with it in the head.

She took a step back in realization, "I have to go."

She climbed on Shadow and took off leaving me with a knocked out Jack.

Max's POV

I leaned back in the saddle, "I can't tell them. Not yet."

You almost killed your boyfriend.

"Shadow this is what I need. What I love. I love being out in the wild, by ourselves with no worries." I sighed in relief.

It's what we're used to...

"Relying on people. Trusting in people. It's not what we do. We save people with no attachments." I pointed out.

I sense a ship.

"Who?!" I demanded standing up a little in the saddle. "Get lower."

Shadow dipped below the clouds to see another black ship.

My eyes narrowed in anger, "Let's go."