The Imposter

Chapter 10

"What is going on here?" The large man repeated his question with increasing impatience, his cold dark eyes sweeping over the two strangers facing his men. "Sergeant Yorgi?"

"This harpy and her slave were getting insolent, General Ryker," the man said respectfully. Astrid scowled and flicked a glance up at the man.

"I am a wandering knight-Sif is my name-and my squire and I were merely passing through here, looking for work when this rancid maggot-eaten munge-bucket started to hit on me," she growled. "I was about to mince up his spleen until you came in to save his sorry ass. I presume you are the man in charge. So are you hiring?"

The large man eyed her up lasciviously and she felt her cheeks heat gently under his obscenely intimate inspection before giving a cruel smirk.

"Our army always needs fresh hands-but I'm not sure an aggressive female wannabe and her stick slave are suited to our needs..." Ryder growled, looking at the rigid Hiccup, who had never taken his eyes off the attackers. "Though he seems well-trained. Maybe he can give us some fun..." He snapped his fingers and his men threw themselves onto Hiccup, their weight bearing him down and hauling him up, sword ripped from his left hand and arms pinned painfully across his back. He struggled furiously until a brutal blow on the back of his head had him sagging... Astrid's eyes flashed as she saw him and levelled her sword at the big man.

"Get your hands off him," she growled. "Who do you want me to fight to prove my worthiness?" Hiccup almost cringed: all the knights he knew would never say anything like that...well, not without another dozen or so expletives. Then Yorgi grabbed a big handful of auburn and wrenched his head back.

"I'll teach this little girl a lesson," he sneered. "And then we can have some fun with her slave..."

Oh joy. Well this day keeps getting better and better. Maybe I should just insult General Ryker and make sure someone is going to kill me and the Princess.

"How many pieces do you want him back in?" Astrid asked shortly, her eyes focussed on the man as he casually punched Hiccup in the gut, then drew his sword and advanced on her. Ryker smirked.

"You do well, girl, and you've earned yourself a job," he promised her.

"And my squire," she growled, his eyes locked fiercely on the huge man. Ryker gave a curt nod.

"If you do well," he said scornfully as the men backed away and Yorgi moved forward. He was well-armoured, heavyset and ugly, his sword clamped professionally in his hand. Hiccup blinked and focussed on the man, seeing his lip curl, dismissing the girl facing him. And while Hiccup knew that the Princess was extensively trained in arms, as any Heir to Berk should be, he had no idea of her current standard because he hadn't seen her in action. He just hoped she was up to the challenge...but as he looked, he saw the man shake a dagger free in an arm sheath. He was going to cheat.

Astrid attacked first, her strokes swift and accurate, aiming for vital points and the man was thrust back, a flicker of respect rising in his eyes. Then he countered, using his weight to hammer blows onto Astrid. Ryker's men were whooping and hollering, casting insults at the girl while urging their man on and to not shame them by losing to a lass. Angered, Astrid almost threw herself forward but controlled her emotions: she knew she was impetuous and hot-headed and in a battle, that could be a weakness. So she parried and saw him ready for her. She spun lightly under a swipe and clouted him across the shoulder, her blow piercing the padding and biting into the flesh. The man roared like a wounded dragon and flung himself at her, his weight bearing her back and closing her space, cornering her. His hand treacherously snapped down and the dagger slid into his grip, glinting and seen only by the pinioned young imposter.