Opposition (A Httyd Fanfiction)

Chapter 16: Liberated

(Heather's pov)

Hiccup was resting in the healers' tent, I was there to aid in making sure Haddock doesn't die prematurely and that he doesn't try to kill anyone, though in his state of I don't think that's going to happen. Currently, Haddock was writhing and groaning in agony on the spare bed of furs, seeing him in such a vulnerable state made me feel... remorseful. If it were up to me, I'd allow Haddock to leave this place, gather his strength and meet me on the field of battle, and if we have the stronger battle tactics, we can make Hiccup suffer even more by making him watch all his companions die by Viking steel. When we ravage his kingdom, make his family slaves and whores, we would break Haddock's spirit and when the fight leaves his eyes, then we would execute him.

"No... No, leave me alone!"

Haddock was definitely seeing or hearing someone from beyond, the gods torment him by renouncing them and they haunt him with ghosts from his past. His eyes were open, but he wasn't even paying attention to me or the healer who had just finished treating his wounds. When the healer told me that he needed food and some time to indulge himself with ale and women he left his tent, leaving me alone with Haddock who was under the curse of Queen Freydis's seer, Gudrun. Just seeing Haddock suffer like this was making me sick, because even though he stands as a traitor in my eyes and in the eyes of every Viking here, we should let him go first and witness his fellow Christian allies burn to ash and then strip him away of everything he's built and everyone he loves, when he has lost the will to cling to a miserable existance, then we will kill him.

I've made up my mind, and I'm going to do something I may come to regret.

Leaving the healers' tent, I make my way to the fortress and will kill Gudrun.

(Hiccup's pov)

"You cannot escape who you are Haddock," Astrid whispered in my ear, "blood and bone, you are a son of Norway. Renounce your new life and return to your roots and aid Odin's mortal warriors in winning a victory that will become legendary!" Clutching the furs tightly around my body, I growled in annoyance and replied to Astrid's ghost. "I will never betray my family or those I call an ally," my chest burned in pain and I groaned out in pain but continued, "I've made my choice by renouncing the Viking way of life, and I'm glad that I did." Astrid looked to my chest and a sinister grin crept across her face as she pressed a hand down on my chest and pressed down hard, causing me to gasp and wheeze in pain.

It felt like she was twisting a knife in my heart, the pain was unnatural but it was still present and made my vision blurry.

"Why prolong the inevitable?" Astrid inquired. "Deep down, you know that the Vikings are going to ravage this land and slaughter every Christian man, take their women as whores, and turn their children into slaves. You would burn with them when you can join your countrymen and lead them to victory?"

"They no longer stand as my countrymen," I groaned out, "they are nothing but a pack of wild dogs that will soon be put down. When the last Viking falls when our two nations meet on the battlefield, the Viking people will be eradicated from history and only be remembered for the vile pagans that they are." Astrid bore her teeth at my words and snarled out. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? To send us all to the afterlife and run away from who you really are," scoffing in disgust, Astrid continued, "I expected nothing less from a sniveling coward like you! It is you who will be lost to history Haddock, not the Vikings! Your death will mark the end of Christianity and the Vikings will begin anew." With a cruel laugh, Astrid vanished in the blink of an eye and left me to dwell on her words.

I had faith in my ability to lead the Christian armies into battle and expel the Vikings from this mortal world, but I was having some doubts in my mind. Astrid's words further fanned the flames of that doubt growing in my mind, I shouldn't allow a ghost to get the better of me, but these Vikings have cunning minds leading them and I just hope that I won't be outmatched by more devious mind.