For Milady

THIRTEEN: Think Three Times

A/N: Contains some adult issues. Probably T/M.

THIRTEEN: Think Three Times

Toothless had arrowed straight back to the Edge and Hiccup had scoured his hut, making sure he took everything he needed and concealed a number of very sensitive all his DragonEye lenses, hiding them in a seastack that only a dragon could reach. Quietly, he made sure he was stocked up well with dried jerky and water and fish for Toothless. And then they looked back at their other home, the place where they had been so happy together-and with Astrid-and he sighed.

"Sorry, bud," he murmured. "I'm taking you away from a home and your friends..." But the Night Fury gave a little warble and nuzzled against him, as if reminding Hiccup My home is where you are. "Thanks, bud," he murmured. "Now, let's go get Astrid and Stormfly!"

They flew on, camping on seastacks and in caves as they headed to the Defenders' Isle and then on south, searching for the missing Astrid. They had lost another four days and he had no clue exactly where Astrid had headed-but he knew that she would seek people, travel from village to village and look for somewhere she could stay as her pregnancy advanced. Toothless was tired but loyally flew on until Hiccup stopped, knowing his dragon required rest. So they camped out and the next morning, Hiccup chose a direction and they headed on, scanning the horizon for any signs of land. When they finally found an island, the circled and landed, before the one-legged Viking walked in to the village-but the people were wary and unfriendly and no one admitted to having seen Astrid. Quietly, he had visited the bakery and traded some jerky for bread before he retreated, shaking his head at their hostility.

"Good thing I hid you, bud," he murmured. "These guys seem to be pretty unfriendly. And there were some dragon products in that place-similar to the Northern Markets." He sighed. "Guess this isn't an area where people are especially friendly towards dragons." He gave a shrug. "But when is it ever easy?" Toothless gave a low croon.

"Yeah, I agree," Hiccup said as they flew out of the island, unaware that lookouts were watching and saw the black dragon soar up and arrow off.

They spent another two days searching for any inhabited land at all. Hiccup had drawn up a grid and used his compass and mapping skills to construct a methodical search pattern which allowed him to carefully cover the area he had chosen before moving on. And though he was alone except for Toothless, for Hiccup, it was no hardship: he had spent so long flying with the dragon that he almost felt guilty that he was enjoying the experience of exploring and mapping a new area of the Archipelago that he was unfamiliar with.

Soaring in the cold air, the wind caressing his face and blowing his hair, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew he should be devastated that he had been disowned, that he had lost his birthright and his Tribe...but the pressure of the contract, of the betrothal he had never wanted and which had ripped every dream and hope for the future from him, had been weighing him down. Suddenly he felt free, able to do exactly what he wanted-and he knew that all he wanted was to find Astrid and apologise for taking so long in coming for her. To declare his love and offer his undying devotion to her.

"And she'll probably punch me really hard for being a total muttonhead," he smiled to the Night Fury as he checked the compass and peered at the map. Nodding, he folded it away into his saddlebag and leaned to his left. "Okay, bud-there look to be some seastacks over there...hopefully, there may be some islands behind them and..."

Chains shot up and wrapped around the Night Fury as three ships emerged from the seastacks and closed on the struggling dragon and Rider. Toothless managed to shoot off a plasma blast-but the dragon-proof chains shrugged the blast off and another looped around his mouth, silencing him. Struggling but pinned, Hiccup could only prepared himself as they were hauled down lower and lower onto what could only be Dragon Hunter ships.