The Imposter

Chapter 13

Toothless growled, the low sound vibrating through the cage and the lock Hiccup still held in his hands. The young would-be squire's emerald eyes stared up into the cold face of the ruler of Hunter lands along the length of his sword and swallowed.

"How did you know?" he asked quietly. Lord Viggo gave a small smirk as he gently rested the point against the younger man's heaving chest.

"My men chased you in here," he said simply. "There was no probability that you wouldn't notice the beast." He paused and his smile grew crueller. "A discarded squire, an imposter and probably a traitor...and condemned beast, fit only for spare parts."

"You're wrong," Hiccup said flatly, his eyes glittering. Viggo's smirk widened.

"You're in no position to disagree with me," he sneered. 

"So what have I got to lose?" Hiccup retorted calmly. "This is a unique and amazing creature and rather than cherishing him and allowing him to be what he was destined to be, you destroy him for a whim!"

"No-for profit!" Viggo spat, jabbing the point into his chest. Stiffening, Hiccup's hand moved away from the lock, trying not to flinch.

"You know he is the last," he said quietly. "How can you be sure?" Viggo paused-and then laughed at him.

"You're feeling sorry for this broken down bag of spare parts!" he scoffed. 

"Nothing should be be caged and treated so poorly," the young squire told him spiritedly. The sword raised and slapped sideways, the flat slamming against his cheek and knocking him against the cage. The growl grew noticeably louder at the thud of the blow and the subsequent impact against the bars before Hiccup grimaced, achingly pushing himself up to a listing sitting position, the point of the sword once again prickling against his chest. 

"You've done well," Viggo told him smoothly. "You followed your Princess and got her away from Alvin-not the most challenging task, given his innate stupidity..."

"You try it on your own," Hiccup mumbled, grimacing as he gently touched his head. The clang where he had impacted against the bar was still reverberating through his head and a headache was throbbing behind his eyes once more. Guilt at failing Astrid was tightening his chest painfully. 

"Your name is Haddock, is it not?" Viggo mused smoothly, his eyes sweeping over the slumped shape, the bright emerald eyes and tousled auburn hair, the pale skin with occasional freckles and dark bruises. "I can see why my brother thinks you pretty, by the way. You are the dead Commander's son, aren't you?" Hiccup lifted his chin and nodded. "And you have been misused by your own people." he paused, though there was no answer. "Hmm...you are determined and there is talent there. You have protected the Princess well, boy." He pulled the sword back a few inches, though Hiccup didn't dare let the tension in his shape lessen even slightly. 

"Kinda missing the point of this-not that I'm not happy to be deferring the 'killing me' bit of this conversation," Hiccup said dryly, watching the man.

"You have spirit, boy-and you're right: nothing should be caged and treated so poorly. You were talking about yourself as well. I think you are worth more than your own people guess. But I can see clearer." He lowered the sword. "Swear yourself to my service, boy, and I will value your service as it should be."

Hiccup blinked in shock, staring up into the calculating face. Viggo was a master manipulator, a man who used and discarded men and beasts as he saw fit. He had heard the tale-and put it together with what intelligence he had garnered to uncover Hiccup's weakness. Quickly, he reran the man's words in his mind-and realised he had promised nothing-he would value his service 'as it should be'-and what was that? As a squire with a full skill-set who had been wronged by his liege or as a drudge with pretensions of knighthood who could be used and discarded on a whim?