Captain Fury: Pirate of Berk

47: He has to die

Forty-Seven: He has to die.

It wasn't meant to end like this, Astrid thought, as she felt the knife scrape against bone. No, she was meant to die in a good number of years, staring into a pair of forest green eyes after a long life together with her husband. But now she was here, on the enemy's ship, staring into the bright green gaze of Arild, his eyes huge in his thin, tear-streaked, bruised face as he read the pain on her features. His hand fumbled for hers, small fingers cold in her grasp...and something else was there as well, cold and hard and sharp. And she realised now what it was. In her inexperience, Heather hadn't patted the boy down from when she had captured him, because she never considered that Hiccup would arm his little son against people like Heather. So the boy had fished the knife from his boot and it was now in her hand.

She knew she had a very few usable moments left before blood loss and the damage from the blade ended her resistance...and she knew if she fell, Heather would complete her fell purpose.

She flipped the blade round in her hand as she shoved herself backwards, towards the woman and pushed her away from her. The pain was incredible but Astrid was a Hofferson and she was not afraid...not any more. She had something to live for...and, more importantly, something to die for. Then she spun, her arm slamming round and hitting Heather straight in the chest.

The woman felt a blow like a punch, her eyes widening in shock...and then she looked down...to see the small handle poking out from over her heart. Astrid gave her a final triumphant look as her own legs buckled...but Heather collapsed backwards, blood staining her tunic. She hit the deck with a thud and lay still, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling and the bloody knife slowly sliding from her lax fingers.

"KILL THEM!" Drago screamed, gesticulating with his one arm. Straining against his captors, Hiccup kicked backwards and felt the groaning man holding his left arm loosen his grasp. Astrid was bowed forward, face pale as her arms wrapped protectively round the boy.

"I'm...here..." she gasped tiredly, holding him close.

"Don't leave me, Mom," the boy whimpered, tears welling in his gaze. He had already lost one mother, watched her fade from disease over a few short weeks...but this was infinitely worse. For Astrid had thrown herself in the way to save his life, taking the blow as his father had done for him back on Berk. "Please...I'm sorry..." She held him close, feeling her head start to spin.

"Not planning...on going 'nywhere..." she mumbled as he pressed himself against her. "Let y'r Dad come to us..."

Hiccup had punched the man to his left, the blow accurate but not strong enough to lay the man out...and then the world exploded, a crunch and roar enveloping them. A concussive blast threw them all the the floor and the back wall of the cabin disappeared along with the deck above half the cabin. Drago was tossed to the floor and rolled, looking up in utter confusion. A slow smile spread across Hiccup's face as he scrambled up, snatching the sword from the nearest man and stabbing him, then killing his fellow with the backswing. He leaned forward, snatching his other sword and then darted forward as the ship shuddered. He sliced out ferociously at the nearest guards, both falling without even having a chance to draw while Drago stumbled to his feet.

"What..." he spluttered as Hiccup gave a cold grin, his eyes like chunks of green ice.

"My ship," he sneered. "You're not invincible, Drago. They will sink you!"

"Then it's time I ended their Captain!" Drago snarled, grabbing a sword and lurching forward. Hiccup leapt forward a pace, standing fearlessly between Drago and his family, bloody swords held up before his body. Despite the memories that swirled around him facing this man, despite the scar on his chest, he smiled. Cold steel clashed, Drago's huge, heavy sword clanging against Hiccup's two swords. Drago was taller than Hiccup, over twice as wide and very powerful, for all his missing left arm, but Hiccup was fast, accurate and furious.