Accidents Happen

Chapter 8

Astrid gazed with horror at Hiccup's back. Blood was everywhere. She could handle blood. Sheesh, she had fought battles and spilled more blood than this, but this was Hiccup's blood. Her vision blurred, and she shut her eyes tightly. She was not crying. She was a Vikings. Vikings didn't cry. She heard Hiccup cough, then whimper in pain. This sent her over the edge, and she dragged herself to his side, tears cascading from her eyes. With the makeshift splint, Astrid's leg felt much better, and she silently thanked Thor for the kind boy who had thought of them.

"Are you alright?" Astrid asked Hiccup. She received silence. Then,

"Hurts... so much. Glad you didn't take any of it."

"Oh, Hiccup," her heart nearly broke with his kindness. He had been beaten severly, and his only thoughts were of her safety. Soon, her tears dissipated, and she felt anger bubble up inside of her.

"Alviiiin!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" Astrid jumped. She hadn't realized Alvin was still in the arena. That meant he had seen her crying.

"I. Hate. You," she said venomously. "I will kill you."

"I'll just have to make sure that can't happen, won't I," Alvin smirked, as he entered the cell. He flashed a dagger close to her face. She didn't give him the satisfaction of flinching. He brought it closer, pressing it against the soft flesh of her cheek. At his hand, the blade was sliced down her cheek, creating an incision barely deeper than a paper cut. It stung, but she still refused to flinch. She heard Hiccup gasp, and chose to ignore him, her one weakness. Alvin brought the dagger to the other side of her face, creating a similar incision. The cuts only stung, and Astrid knew that he had inflicted them only for a reaction. She chose not to give him what he wanted. Alvin brought the dagger further down her body, bringing it to rest hovering over her jugular vein.

Stoick, meanwhile, had finally arrived at Outcast Island. He jumped off the ship, and ran to the first guard he could find. He grabbed the Outcast, holding an axe to the man's neck.

"Where's Hiccup?" he demanded.

"I know where he is," a small voice spoke up. "I can take you to him." Surprised, he turned to see a boy of about eight looking up at him. Stoick released the trembling Outcast in his grasp, and followed the boy. When they reached the arena holding the teens, Stoick's gaze was met with Alvin holding a knife over Astrid's neck.

"Alvin!" He roared angrily, axe aimed at the Viking's neck. Alvin turned. Upon seeing the axe in Stoick's hand, he launched the dagger in his hand with one fluid motion. He was in a bad position to aim correctly at Stoick, and so he did the next best thing in his mind. The knife hit its target perfectly, deeply embedding itself into Hiccup's abdomen. With loud Viking cry, Stoick brought his axe crashing through Alvin, splintering the Outcast's neck. Alvin crashed to the ground, shuddered, and died. The boy that had led Stoick to the arena screamed, then began sobbing.

"Daddy!" he cried. He pushed past Stoick into the cell, and knelt at his father's side. "Daddy, no. Please wake up." He shook his father, but the man's lifeless body only fell limply to the ground once more. Astrid grabbed the small child, and held him in her arms, rocking him back and forth.

"It's all right," she crooned. "You still have your mommy, right Mishap?" Mishap shook his head.

"I killed her," his sobs grew in intensity. "She died when she was giving birth to me. It's my fault she died, and it's my fault daddy died."

"No it's not," Astrid said firmly. "It is your daddy's fault that he is dead. Mishap, I know that this is hard for you, but you have to understand. Your daddy was a mean man, and if Stoick hadn't killed him, he might have killed Hiccup."

"I know he was a bad man, but he told me that if he ever dies, I have to live with my Uncle Savage. My uncle doesn't like me," the boy's voice dropped to a frightened whisper. "But he liked my daddy, and he'll think I killed daddy. He said that if I ever made daddy get hurt, he would hurt me worse than daddy hurts me. I don't want to live with Uncle Savage, Astrid." Mishap shook with fear, and Astrid tightened her grip on the boy.

Stoick was knelt down next to Hiccup.

"Dad, we have to let Mishap come and live with us," he gasped. "Please."

"Mishap," Stoick growled. "Where are Toothless and Stormfly?"

"In their own cells," he replied. "I can get them out."

"Astrid, are you up for flying?" Stoick asked.

"Stormfly will be gentle," she nodded firmly.

"Good. Mishap," the boy turned. "You'll be riding double with Astrid."

"What do you mean?" Mishap questioned, brow furrowed.

"What I mean, is that you're riding on Stormfly with Astrid on the ride home."

"I-I'm coming with you guys?" Mishap said, trying to overcome his shock.

"Hiccup has always wanted a younger brother," Stoick almost smiled.