Dark Valkyrie

Seventeen: The Abyss

Seventeen: The Abyss

Viggo snatched his sword and rose to his feet, the blade edged with the warm light from the lanterns as he pointed the blade at the intruder.

"What could you possibly have to say, Astrid?" he asked dryly. "You appear to have been most effective in diminishing my fortunes and destroying my organisation." She remained back in the shadows, out of reach and shielded by the gloom.

"You could surrender," she said quietly. "You could renounce any claim on Hiccup, cease your aggression against the Dragon Riders and give up Dragon Hunting."

"Do you wish my heart as well?" Viggo asked sarcastically, draining his goblet and wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. Astrid took a step forward, her blue eyes sparkling with anger.

"I heard your men," she said in an inch voice. "You wanted Hiccup's head. You sent men specifically to murder him." Viggo gave a small smile. If she was angry, the probabilities of outwitting her grew greater.

"This is war, my dear-or hadn't you realised that?" he taunted her. "You have certainly been employing military tactics against me-or should we maybe term it piracy?"

"Just desserts would be my term for it," she replied sharply. "You capture and kill and maim dragons...finally some payback."

"And what does dear Hiccup think about your actions, my dear?" he taunted her. "I seem to recall that he is rather more squeamish about the prospect of killing. And have you told him what you did to Krogan's Singetail? I am certain he would not approve."

"Hiccup does not know-but he will," she said more softly.

"And will he be disappointed?" Viggo asked her in a superior manner.

"I am certain of it."

Viggo tutted.

"Such a shame," he scoffed. "You seemed such a happy couple. A secret like this could tear you apart. The deceit, the guilt, the feelings of betrayal..." Astrid lifted her axe.

"It won't work," she told him shortly. "I believed that Hiccup was dead-and I did what I did because of that. Now that it seems he survived...I know I am not worthy of him. I don't deserve him. Seeing the disappointment in his eyes would just kill me." Viggo chuckled.

"It's always disappointment that hurts the most," he said smoothly. Her eyes flicked up sharply.

"No," she said quietly. "It's losing what you love." Viggo gestured.

"You know I just have to shout and my men will come and capture you?" he suggested but she smiled.

"They have other concerns," she said and Viggo blinked, realising he could hear shouting. "I think your base is wrecked, your men scattered and your fleet all but gone."

"I can rebuild," he told her smugly. "You don't understand what a man such as myself values-or what I will do to ensure my own success." Astrid shook her head.

"I am glad that I will never understand a man like you," she admitted and then she stepped out of the shadows. "But you won't rebuild." And she turned her hand over to reveal something that had Viggo's eye widening. A flask that was the twin of one he had smashed, a flask that had been empty when he handed it over to Astrid-but which he assumed she had taken back and given to Hiccup.

A flask that had contained the Wine of Hela.

Astrid smiled.

"I may not understand a man like you-but given enough encouragement, I can think like you," she said as he swallowed suddenly. "You gave me the 'antidote' to give to Hiccup...but he was conscious and aware enough to refuse it-because it was the poison itself. You wanted me to dose him with the very thing that would kill him quicker and remove all hope. I didn't. Instead, I put it where it would do the most good."