The Dragon Master and The Lightning Rider *Hiccup Fanfic*

42. The Feast

Tye rubbed at his wrist when she shook the manacles. He seemed just as reluctant as her. "Aym sent word you were found. Any ally of Shruiken, any interested island that caught wind of your capture, is attending."

Skye tilted her head to the ceiling. She wanted to rub at her eyes, but she was aware of smudging anything on her face. "And why will they be coming? Public torture? Doesn't seem like Aym's thing."

Tye had ushered her out. He was holding her close so that no one else overheard them. It was a risk for him to speak to her, and he had already pushed the limits. Honestly, he liked Skye. She was fierce and openly honest, something he greatly admired. Plus, her attitude towards him was too friendly and he loved making friends. But his job came first.
Skye was aware of every exit and guard, any sound that came from rooms of closed doors. Her legs began to tremble as she took step after step, closer to the ballroom.

"Aym doesn't do that," Tye whispered. "He's putting you on...rent."

Her shoes, uncomfortably high, dragged as she drew to a stop and turned to Tye, eyes wide. She immediately schooled her expression. "What do you mean rent?"
Her urge to leave the island surfaced. But she couldn't. This was going to be the last time she would fight Shruiken. Her plan must continue. The security and patrols of the place had doubled, from what she had seen through her barred window. Additional sentries with precision arrows and small catapults were posted at every ledge and corner. Escape would be tremendously difficult, but not so impossible if she had time to herself to work it out.

He prodded her along. They were getting closer to the ballroom. Music was playing in full swing, and Skye wondered why she hadn't heard it from her room. It must've been an hour or two into the feast already. They didn't enter through the large doors. Instead, Tye pulled at the leash strapped to her manacles, until they reached a side stairwell. He continued, "You're powerful. Aym knows you can unite the Skrills. You're a weapon on sale."

Skye's stomach dropped. She didn't even consider what Aym might do with her. She left it all to torture so that Shruiken could control her themselves. Not for a second did she wonder about other islands. What means would they go through to make her comply? Would some of them know she had lived on Berk?

Aym was indeed nothing like Thiram. He was unpredictable. Thiram would've kept her power for himself. What would Aym get from selling her? Money? Shruiken had plenty. Allies? Control?

They reached the end of the stairwell. There was a side door that led to the Hall. It grew darker as they kept walking. Skye could only be guided by faint lights. Her dress became suffocating and clumsy to move in.

"Tye," Skye's voice bordered in urgency. She grappled her manacles to tug away. "Don't let them do this."

"I can't do anything."

"Please," she begged. She tried dragging away, and it made Tye's expression soften. Not once during her torture session did she ever beg. Not once did she break. But now, she seemed willing to do anything but this.

"Tye, you can't let them do this," she said desperately. Her dress was getting caught under her shoes as she tried dragging away. "They'll go to war with every island! They'll make me do things I can't see happen again! Tye, please-"

Without a word, Tye shoved her through the door. Skye stumbled through with a hiss, and when she looked around, she realized she was in a dark room.
It wasn't the Hall. It was connected to the Hall.

But then she heard a voice. Tye was in the room with her. He managed to get ahead of her, where there were huge curtains drawing off any sight. Light seeped in from behind the heavy curtains. The music was louder.