The Imposter

Chapter 5

Princess Astrid was furious. She had been betrayed by her knights, the squires and guest who had gotten her captured by Earl Alvin de Traitre and subsequently bound and gagged and carried like a trussed yak into Outcast lands. 

It was clear the Eret had planned the whole thing-aided and abetted by the knights and squires who had completely failed in their duty to their Heir. Now, she was out of Berk and her rage filled her with an absolute desire the get back and ensure every one of those knights faced the block for their incompetence and treachery. She tested her bonds for the hundredth time, but there was no give whatsoever. She was embarrassed, cramped and after being slung over the saddle for hours, her head was pounding. And worse, Alvin kept pawing her, his large hands stroking her back, ass and legs lasciviously. She really hoped he kept his word to Eret about not touching her any more intimately.

The echoes of the hooves surrounded them as they galloped up the rocky valley, heading fast and direct towards the main citadel of the Earl. The Outcasts were all heavily armoured and taciturn, though they obeyed their chief without question. Alvin, however, kept up a snide monologue that had the gagged Astrid wanting to scream at him to shut up.

"Princess, it's such a shame we 'ad ter meet this way," Alvin said in what he imagined was a reasonable tone. It sounded really forced. She said nothing but was tense because his huge hand was strong her slender waist. "Yer know it's the fault of her father's father? Egil was a smug bastard and never gave me the respect I deserved..."

She gave a small squeak of annoyance as he pinched her side.

"Astrid...may I call yer Astrid?-I would only need to do this because yer father don't treat me like a fellow noble!" Alvin protested in a whining tone. "So I have ter take what advantage I can get."

She struggled and kicked slightly.

"Oh, yer feisty-a credit ter the Hofferson!" Alvin growled. "Yer know, I could 'ave yer, girl-and that would make me yer 'usband...and the next King o' Berk." He gave a gravelly chuckle. "And there's no one who can stop me, Astrid. And the only thing 'elping yer is that I 'ave a friend who 'as asked fer me ter 'help 'im and fer that, 'e wants yer still saleable."

"Mmm mm mee mph!" Astrid squeaked angrily. Alvin chuckled and patted her ass.

"Ooh, we're gonna 'ave some fun while yer me guest, Astrid," he said cheerfully. "And who knows? Mebbe yer'll change yer mind about me and my fine 'olding!"

Astrid slumped, despondent. The echoes of hooves were worsening the pounding in her head and it was obvious there was more going on that she had suspected. Somehow, she had become a pawn in a game between Alvin, Eret and whoever Alvin's 'friend' was. The Outcast leader patted her ass once more.

"Not long now," he reassured her gruffly. "Me castle is just ahead-and then I can make yer feel far more at 'ome..."

oOo

Hiccup cantered along the rocky valley, the sheer walls of blackish grey rock rising dizzyingly above him. The sky was grey and overcast and the air smelled of rain. A cold breeze was whirling down the vale. Anxiety was bubbling in his chest and his eyes darted incessantly up to the vantage points, seeking for the Outcast guards watching his approach. But the obvious sentinel points were vacant: it seemed that Earl Alvin trusted to the unattractiveness of his lands and the sturdy defences of his fastness to keep any enemies at bay. And Hiccup could hardly be counted as much of an enemy.

He leaned forward, the cloak following around his taut shape. A horrible sensation of uncertainty roiled through his body as the magnitude of what he was doing hit him. He was headstrong and reckless-his father had scolded him for those faults numerous times, he recalled with a grim smile-and he had run off after the Princess without getting word to her proper escorts, believing in his own stupidity he was the match for fully trained soldiers and calculating noblemen who were plotting against the Royal House Hofferson. Gods, how stupid and arrogant was he? He had managed barely a year of squire training before he was ejected from the programme because his father vanished, was declared traitor and his dishonoured son was cast aside. A sigh shuddered through him.