Taming Hearts

Chapter Ten: The Trick Started Well

"Let me see!"

"Astrid..."

"Hold still!"

Hiccup thought, as Astrid immediately began to work on rolling up his pant leg, that perhaps he shouldn't have put himself in such a vulnerable position. Lying on his back on the couch with his left leg propped up and his right resting beside it allowed his wife easy access. There was also the fact that he was exhausted and honestly didn't have any more fight left.

"Hiccup..." Astrid's eyes widened when his stump was exposed at last. The flesh was bruised and the veins very visibly crisscrossing his skin. It looked more like a slab of meat than a limb. "You... maybe you shouldn't walk for a while."

"Not walk? How am I supposed to officiate the Thawfest games?" Hiccup grumbled, attempting to sit up to get a better look at his stump.

"Allie can handle that. She's the one who insisted on the duel." Astrid nodded to Adrianna, who pushed Hiccup back down on the cushion. "You are going to rest."

"But what about the slap bet? I have to be there to see Snotlout's face when he loses!" Hiccup griped, causing his daughter to giggle.

"While I certainly understand your motivation, you'll just have to wait. That part of the competition is tomorrow anyway. You are staying on this couch until then. No arguments, Hiccup." Astrid snapped. "Finn, go get me a damp cloth."

The boy had nearly forgotten that anyone could see him as he stood in the corner watching the events unfold. He hesitated but Benen's hand on his shoulder managed to snap him to the present. He hurriedly grabbed the cloth and handed it to his mother.

"Okay, this is going to hurt." Astrid said apologetically as she removed the prosthetic from her husband's stump. "Kids, maybe you should go."

"No." Adrianna immediately plopped herself on the ground next to the couch and took her father's hand.

Astrid felt like arguing but she had the distinct impression that her daughter would put up a fight. And she didn't want to attempt to win an argument when she needed to focus on Hiccup.

"You know, Finn, perhaps it would be best for us to go." Benen patted Finn's shoulder. "I'm sure your father will be feeling much better this evening."

Finn nodded but it took Benen's gentle prodding to get him moving. As he approached the door, he saw his mother place the cloth on Hiccup's stump. Hiccup hissed in pain. His ragged breathing was easily audible even from outside the house.

Finn was furious. And unfortunately for those around him, his temper was as fiery as his hair. As he left the house, Benen at his heels, he decided that Allie the Insincere deserved a piece of his mind. And he certainly wasn't about to tell Benen his plan. As much as he adored his mentor, he knew that the elderly man would attempt to talk him out of his plan. And he was no mood to be told that he shouldn't do something he so dearly wanted to do.

Astrid cleaned Hiccup's stump as gently as she could. The raw skin caused the cloth to become slightly pink as she rubbed the inflamed areas. He recoiled when the cloth reached a purple area of skin, very nearly jumping off the couch. His teeth gritted together in a desperate attempt not to cry out in front of his daughter but his hand's tightening around hers told her all she needed to know. She gently reached up and placed her other hand atop his, gripping it tightly so that he knew she was there for him.

He panted when Astrid had finally stopped cleaning the wound. His wife pursed her lips in an attempt to remain as emotionless as possible. "I'm going to get an ice pack. You're going to need to keep it on your leg to keep the swelling down."