The Dragon Master Part II: Rewritten (A Httyd Fanfiction)

Chapter 30: Rescue

(Drago's fortress)

Astrid and Mala felt as though their backs were literally on fire and the pain was excruciating. When Valka denied Drago's request at ten, Mala was panting heavily, but Astrid smiled through her tears and steeled herself for the next round. As the whip lashed into their backs, they tried desperately not to lose consciousness, instead trying to focus on anything but the pain. Astrid quickly filed through her memories and found what she was looking for.

CRACK!!

The whips came down and she and Hiccup were making love for the first time, that made her smile slightly at just how good that felt.

CRACK!!

She gave birth to Stoick, her second child and certainly not the last.

CRACK!!

This wasn't working, she could hear Mala and herself screaming.

CRACK!!

Valka was telling them to stop and that she would tell Drago what we desired.

"No." Astrid whispered hoarsely. "Only ten left." She wheezed out, Valka quieted instantly and sobbed as they raised the whip again, but Astrid was out of it before the instrument of pain even came down.

(Hours later)

Enyo woke up from slumber, unable to block out the screams of Mala and Astrid being tortured. The young woman got on her feet, strapped on her armor, strapped on her knives on her thighs, bow and quiver around her back and sword strapped to her hip. She tied her hair into a pony tail and walked down to the cells, she then saw Drago and his men walked into the area followed by Valka with the baby on her back. Her breath stilled when she saw that between Valka and a large soldier, Astrid and Mala were being half carried, half dragged back to their cells.

Valka's eyes were swollen from crying, but remained quiet until after she helped lay Astrid down on her stomach. Wondering why, Enyo stood up and walked over. The sight made her cringe in disgust; the stench alone didn't bother her, but she stood firm and she was thankful that she had a strong stomach. She grimaced as she leaned closer. Astrid's back was covered in lash marks; torn skin and muscle showing, the back section of her shirt had been shredded and bits and pieces had borrowed themselves into her skin. Valka demanded she stay in Astrid's cell if Drago wanted her to live. He nodded and left, leaving her to demand water, bandages, a knife and several herbs from the guards. They quickly provided all but the herbs and Valka got down to business.

"What do you want?" Valka spat out upon seeing Enyo, the young woman rolled her eyes, and whistled, moments later a soldier arrived with Eira in tow, the little girl ran to her grandmother and hugged her tightly, the soldier locked the door once Eira was in the cell. Valka breathed a sigh of relief and looked back at Enyo, who had herbs on her, she unlocked Mala's cell and dragged the woman to the same cell with the others.

"I'm saving your friend, she'll die without treatment." Enyo simply said, Valka couldn't figure out why she was tending to Mala, but now wasn't the time to think that, Astrid needed attention now. Valka removed Astrid's armor and cut away her shirt, gently extracting the bits of fabric that had been driven into her flesh. Then after washing her back as well as she could, Enyo handed her herbs, once they were applied Astrid shrieked in agony, Valka shushed her while mumbling an apology, she then rolled yards of linen strips around Astrid's torso before taking one of Hiccup's long, loose moss green tunics they had packed in case of fleeing and tugging it slowly over her head. Valka returned the knife to the soldier at the cell and asked quietly for more clean water.

"Shhh." Valka soothed. "Try not to move Astrid."

"Valka?"

"Yes, now don't move. It'll only make it worse."