My little Flower (HiccupxOC, part 1 of Grimborn Family AU)

Chapter 39 - Escape

Lilly's POV

Aside from the tapping of my bare feet on cold stone floor and the sound of our own breathing there was nothing to be heard as Hammond led me through dark corridors. Every now and then he would shove me behind a corner when a guard passed by. I tried to stay calm for I feared the drumming of my own heart might betray us if it echoed through the empty corridor. Turning left we came to a dead end or so I thought until Hammond knelt down and moved one loose stone plate out of the way revealing a wooden ladder that descended into darkness. I gasped and Hammond put one finger to his lips: "Sssh!" Taking a torch from the wall he gestured me to climb down with him following close behind after pushing the stone plate back into place above us.

"This tunnel leads directly to the dungeons, but it's not used anymore. Come, follow me." I shivered from the cold and anticipation. If it wasn't for the dim light of the torch it would've been pitch black down here, I could feel moist stone under my feet and had to take care not to slip.

After a while we reached an old metal door, Hammond opened it with skilled hands and we entered a dim enlightened hall. The smell of blood and rotten flesh filled my nose, making me slightly sick. Carefully I looked around and saw one cell after the other, most of them seemed to be empty given the dead silence in this room. But they were not. Stepping closer to the nearest cell I almost cried out, clutching my hands in front of my mouth to prevent me from making a noise.

Oh gods no, no how can somebody do that. I felt tears well up in my eyes as the feeling of pure terror crept through my bones. Inside the cell laid a dead monstrous nightmare, or what remained from the once so proud creature. The emaciated body had lost all his once so bright colors, and looking closely I saw biting wounds all over the poor dragon.

I startled when I felt Hammond's hand touch my shoulder. "Drago leaves the dragons who are too weak for his army down here to starve. At some point they get so hungry that they would start to eat themselves. Come Lilly, there's nothing we can do about it. I'll shield the cells from you, you don't have to see this."

The feeling of savage rage caused me to shiver violently. No one had the right to torture such a beautiful creature in such a cruel way. Locking my eyes with Hammond's I said with a hard voice: "No. Don't hide them from me. I want to see them."

And I did, clenching my fists so hard I almost drew blood. Hammond followed me closely, a stunned expression on his face. Finally we reached the last cell. "He's in here, Drago intended to let him face the same fate as these dragons."

My eyes widened but Hammond raised his hands. "Don't worry, I would not let him die as soon as I found him."

"Who's there?" a weak voice sounded from the darkness.

Hammond turned to the cell and enlightened it with the torch. "It's me again and I brought someone with me. Here take that for a second please." He handed the torch to me and pulled a key-chain from his pocket, chuckling at my bewildered expression. "Well your old grandfather just happens to be a very crafty man. The guard didn't even notice I was there." He winked and unlocked the door.

Still holding the torch I walked into the dark cell and there he was, sitting against a cold stone wall, his face pale and body haggard from the lack of food. I bit my lip at the heartbreaking sight of him, feeling my heart ache. His eyes were empty but when he locked his with mine I could see something sparkle in his dark eyes.

"Lilly..." was all he managed to whisper as I knelt down in front of him, feeling tears well up in my eyes once more. We stared at each other for a while in pregnant silence when Ryker finally found his words again.

"Lilly, I...I read this." he held up mothers notebook and I closed my eyes, not bearing to look at him as he continued.
"She never told us... I..I was wrong with everything, I always thought you took her away from me but the truth is, through you she was with us all the time, I failed to see that. But Viggo didn't, he always knew... he was always smarter than me and I.. I was jealous...I did a terrible thing."