For Milady

THIRTY FOUR: Riders of the Edge

THIRTY-FOUR: Riders of the Edge

It was getting dark when they arrived back at the little settlement, even though Toothless and Stormfly really pushed the pace-because Hiccup knew his daughter needed feeding and Astrid was still very tender and sore and needed rest. And it was with no small sensation of relief that he saw Dagur waiting outside the Hall, leaning against Sleuther and sipping from a large earthenware mug of ale. The Berserker Chief glanced up at the roar Toothless gave and flipped a salute at the dragons and their riders as they swooped in to land, seeing Hiccup and Astrid together again.

"Dagur? Is there something wrong?" Hiccup asked with concern and the Berserker shrugged.

"You know that I am going to be a useless father if Mala and I ever..." he said conversationally. "I mean...Heather and that village woman...Hjordis?..and the insane girl-twin have been cooing over the baby ever since you left while I just think she looks like she wants to sleep...what do I know?"

"Hmm...probably more than they do," Astrid commented, achingly clambering off Toothless. "She's going to be all fretty and fractious because she's tired. And they don't have to deal with her." She sighed. "I knew I should have left Fishlegs in charge..." Dagur rolled his eyes.

"He's the worst of the lot!" he complained. "Is gooey a word? Because he's it. Between the baby and his Gronckle...though of course, Gronckles are completely awesome..."

"Oh Thor," Astrid grumbled and stalked stiffly into the Hall...while Hiccup remained sitting on Toothless, his eyes trailing after her with an unreadable expression. Dagur watched the blonde vanish-and then turned to his friend.

"Are you two good?" he asked cheerily and Hiccup shrugged.

"For some reason best known only to Freya, Astrid loves me and won't leave me," he said quietly. "And I love her with everything I have and everything I am...but I fear I'm not the person she thought I was...not any more..." Dagur raised an eyebrow.

"And who would that be?" he asked directly and Hiccup slowly clambered off Toothless, petting the dragon automatically.

"I did attack Hunter ships looking for her," he admitted as Dagur wrapped a powerful arm around his shoulders.

"And you know we don't care?" he reminded Hiccup. Shamed emerald eyes flicked up.

"You should..."

"Hello? Deranged?" he reminded the auburn-haired Viking, steering him into the Hall and into the warmth. Immediately, all eyes fell on his self-conscious form and he stopped even as the Night Fury's black head rounded the door. Hiccup's friends all smiled but the rest of the villagers appeared hostile, their sympathies swayed by the men who lived in their midst. Instantly, Tor, Elof and Jorgen were on their feet, advancing towards the weary shape.

"Chief-you can't allow him to remain here!" Jorge protested, his face twisted in anger. "He's a murderer..."

"So are you!" Snotlout snapped, his fists clenching as the men squared up to the stocky Rider. Elof appealed to the villagers.

"We are your neighbours-you accepted us into your number, accepted we had pasts we wanted to change and welcomed us!" he said. "But it is an insult to us to allow this man to stay here when he has killed our friends..."

"And you killed dragons," Hiccup said coolly. "Your fellow hunters raided this village and enslaved them without hesitation. I chased my pregnant girlfriend all the way over the Archipelago and when I finally lose the trail, I find dead dragons and Hunter arrows and Stormily's spines. The only conclusion was that the people who hunted and killed dragons, the same people who had captured and tortured me for weeks, had my girlfriend and our unborn child in their hands. And I would do anything...kill anyone...to rescue her before they killed her..."