The Middle of Our Story (Hiccup x OC) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 9

I walked through the forest for hours alone. Darkness had set in with the cold, but I refused to go back. After climbing a mountain I watched a boat in the distance follow the current. It took me a moment to recognize the boat as the one that carried Stoick's body off to sea.

I watched the boat slowly catch fire from the arrows shot by Valka, Gobber, Hiccup and the others as it continued to float until it disappeared. I ignored the loud growl from my stomach and sat down on the ground.

"Sounds like someone's hungry," a voice from behind me suddenly came. A hand promptly clamped over my mouth before I could scream and strong arms gripped me tightly.

I squirmed and kicked though it made no difference. I was overpowered and my yells were muffled.

"We can solve that for you," the voice laughed evilly as I was bound, gagged and hoisted over a man's shoulders like a sack of apples.

"Hey, do you think the boss is going to like this?" another voice came from the dark as I was carried down the mountain.

"Of course," the one carrying me replied. "I think this is the Dragon Master's girlfriend. We can use her as bait."

My eyes grew wide. Bait? If he comes to get me, I don't know if I'll slap him for being an idiot or kiss him for caring enough to risk it.

"Oh."

The trip down the mountain was a rough one and long-lasting. My stomach began to hurt from the man's shoulder blades digging into my ribs and my head began to throb again. I ran through plans of escape in my head, but none looked promising and almost all ended in death. Safe to say I wouldn't be attempting any of those.

We eventually reached a beach at the opposite end of the island dotted with silent dark ships. Have these been here the whole time? What if they attacked Hiccup and the others from behind, too? My thoughts were roughly interrupted as I was suddenly thrown onto the deck of a ship.

"We found a girl, boss."

"The light-headed one?"

"Yeah. She gave a little struggle but went peacefully the whole way when she figured out she couldn't win."

"She knew what was good for her. Take her downstairs and make sure there aren't any cracks that may reveal where we're going. Double-check her bonds as well. I don't want to take any chances."

"Right."

I was picked up again and taken down a flight of steps until set down. The descent was more gentle than the first, but the floor was cold and wet. "Nothing personal, lassie." Light from a nearby torch flickered to reveal a man's face. He had blonde hair and young, handsome features. "I would give you some food, but I barely get enough myself. Just try to get some sleep and I'll bring you some in the morning."

I watched him carefully as he walked around the small room, checking for small cracks in the wall I might be able to see out of. Finding none, he said a parting word and taking the torch, he left me in pitch-black darkness.

Oh, Hiccup, I'm sorry. I deserve this, don't come after me. You're better off without me. Whatever you do, don't fall for their tricks. Focus on Drago and whatever he has planned next. Forget about me. With that, I turned onto my side, still gagged and bound, and drifted slowly off to sleep to the rhythm of the rocking boat.

When I awoke, I was no longer on the boat, but in a cave. The setting was eerily like the one in my nightmare. There was a soft glow of torches that surrounded me and cast shadows against the wall. One shadow suddenly moved. It was a figure of a man that approached until he abruptly appeared in front of me, no longer a shadow. The man grabbed my face in one of his rough hands, bringing it inches from his own.

"You better hope your beloved Dragon Master comes to rescue you," the man said with a deep voice and breath that reeked of fish. "Your life is about to become more miserable." He released my face so that my head hit the ground hard and momentarily blinded my vision as he walked away.

For your sake, I hope he doesn't come.

My head throbbed harder after the impact, the pain becoming almost unbearable when another man walked up to me and untied my gag. "Don't bother screaming because no one's gonna hear ya." I kept silent as he took out a knife and cut the ropes that bound my hands. My eyes looked up into his face and I recognized him as the same man who had brought me under the boat's deck. "The name's Kiptim. I snuck you some bread for breakfast." He handed the bread to me.

I took a bite from it hungrily, eager to fill my empty stomach. As soon as I finished the food, Kiptim bound my hands again but left my mouth ungagged. "Thank you," I said to him with grateful eyes.

He paused a moment and looked at me curiously. "Your welcome." He finished tying my hands. "The boss wants to ask you some questions." He looked into my eyes with a serious expression. "Answer them and you won't get hurt."

He left the room and the large man re-entered with three men following. Drago.

"I have some questions for you," he spoke in his deep voice.

I crossed my legs casually on the floor and looked up at him as if it were a pleasant visit from a friend.

"Answer them truthfully or you will receive punishment," he pointed to one man who held a whip. "I have harsher methods if necessary."

"Brute force will get you nowhere, Drago," I spat his name with disgust.

"Watch your words, dragon rider." He took the whip from one man and approached me threateningly. "Now, how does your Dragon Master control the dragons."

"Certainly not by whipping them."

He slapped the side of my face with the back of his hand. "Don't play coy with me!" My cheek burned. "Tell me!"

I sat staring straight forward as if nothing had happened and ignored the tingling sensation in my cheek.

"Fine." He walked around me. Suddenly, the crack of the whip broke through the air and an unexpected pain seared through my nerves. I resisted the instinct to flinch and scream as I felt the blood run down my back.

Drago came back around to face me. He bent down and put his face in front of mine, taking my cheeks into his hand again. "What's his weakness."

I took a breath, looking with fury into his eyes and said through clenched teeth, "he has none."

"Liar!" His shout seemed to shatter my eardrums and his breath filled my nostrils. He squeezed his hand tighter around my face and his nails dug into my cheeks until they drew blood. "Tell me."

"He has no weaknesses," I repeated, emphasizing each syllable as if he were deaf.

Drago shouted again, this time releasing my face and walking away. "Load her with the dragons. We attack Berk."

My whole body burned as Kiptim hoisted me upon his shoulders gently and carried me to another room. "You're very brave," he whispered into my ear. "I'm sure the Dragon Master would be proud." He set me down on the ground and gagged me as gently as he could. "I'm sorry about this, I really am. I would set you free, but that would mean sudden death for me. You understand, don't you?"

I nodded with a sigh as the gag was tied between my teeth and I was carried up onto a massive dragon. He set me down and cut the ropes that bound my feet so I could stand. "Good luck," he whispered to me as Drago replaced him and my new friend Kimtip left me with the wicked man.

"You've had your chance," Drago said, blindfolding me. "Now it's time for you to say goodbye to your beloved Dragon Master with a little visit."