Chapter Text
"Ugh..." Hiccup groaned as he woke up. It was bright and he tried to adjust his eyes, his head felt really dizzy and it was as if the ground underneath him was moving. "What... where..." he mumbled as his vision started to adjust and he realized he didnt recognise the place he was in; dirty floors and wooden walls, light from a tourch shined in through the gate. 'a gate?'
"THOOTHLESS" he yelled as he realised the situation he was in. In an unexpected fight against the dragon hunters a bola had hit him into the head, he had passed out and was now in a cell in the dragon hunters ship going to Thor knows where. The hunters had started to attack the edge and islands nearby more frequently, Hiccup and the other riders had been exhausted for weeks, when they saved Heather and Dagur departed from the hunters things seemed to be getting easier but only for a while.
He and Fishlegs had the theory that after Dagur left his leading position someone else had taken it. Someone the riders had to beware of "The stratigised" is what they would call this new enemy. The hunters had become more tricky as if they had someone on the inside teaching them about dragons, there had been a big change of the attack patterns as well, it seemed so unlike Viggo. Hiccup had been fearing the day of dragon hunters would start flying dragons.
He looked around if any of the other riders had been captured as well but he was surprised to see only one other unfamiliar person in the cell, surprised but glad the other riders hadnt been captured.He had never seen this guy before and he didnt look like he was from the archipelago either: His clothes seemed pretty usual and nothing like the ones the dragon hunters wore, his long hair was completly white and his skin was almost as pale as his curls, half his face was covered by a diaagonal burn scar, his yellow eyes twitched up as he realized Hiccup was watching him.
He stared back for a secound before staring back down at the book he was reading. "Who are you?" Hiccup finally asked confused but carefully.
The guy snapped to book shut he was reading and stood up "My name is Chillblain" he introduced himself and held the book towards Hiccupp "And i belive this is yours 'Hiccup Haddoc.'"
Hiccup was surprised at first before realising this was his notebook "Hey why did you-" he wanted to ask Chillblain why he had his notes before being cut off. "Your notes about dragon are remarkable but you really shouldnt carry this around while being chased by dragon hunters"
Hiccup noded and hid the book in the inner pocket of his tunic. Hiccup wanted to ask more but their conversation was cut short by a guard "get up. Viggo wants to speak to you." the guard said in a rough voice as he unlocked the door. Hiccup stood up and as he was about to step out the guard stopped him, "Hands." he groaned holding up a rope. Hiccup huffed in annoyence but he let the guard tie his wrists toggether with no further protest.
"You too Freezeface." the guy grumbled at the other prisoner. Chillblain stood up, surprised he was called to follow along as well. They were walking down a long corridor underneath the deck, this ship was bigger than the usual dragon hunter ships, he could only hope Thoothless would be around here somewhere, he looked around the cooridors and cages they passed by.
"Your dragon isnt here" Chillblain spoke up, he mustve noticed Hiccup looking around. The rider looked back at Chillblain in confusion, he had already been suspicous that they had only tied up him and not the other prisoner. "How exactly would you know that?" Hiccup asked, the suspicion in his voice obvious. "He got hurt when you got shut down, they had me take care of his wounds" Chillblain explained as if it was the most normal thing ever, as if he wasnt a prisoner on a dragon hunter ship, his answer only confused Hiccup more 'This guy, who is he, why is he here? He is a prisoner but for what reason...' "There is no way Thoothless would trust you like that" Hiccup said trying to get more clarity but the guard shut them up. It didnt took them much longer till they reached the captins cabin and were lead inside.
"Viggo." Hiccup started.
"Viggo." Chillblain cut him of, his determination and anger clear in his tone. "I fullfilled my part of our agreement its time you keep yours." the angry guy slammed his fists onto the wooden table.
"Calm down would you?" Viggo responded dismisive "We have a guest afterall... let us talk about those matters in private boy." he glanced at Chillblain with angry eyes. 'We?' Hiccup thought about what they spoke about and Viggos wording, was this Chillblain charakter not a prisinor afterall? What kind of deal had the two made?
"Let me Introduce you Hiccup." Viggo walked around the table and put his hands onto Chillblains shoulders as if the two were familiar with eachother, Chillbalin glanced to the side in discomfort as Viggo towerd next to him, the man was at least 10 cm taller while Chillblain was already taller than hiccup. "This is Chillblain he is our dragon expert or dragon-eye replacement if you will"
Hiccups eyes widend "Your the strategist?" he exclaimed. Chillblain looed up at Hiccup in surprise but before he could say anything Viggo contiued with a slight laugh "He? a strategist? I wouldnt go that far" Viggo saw himself ofcourse as head of the operation he was clearly displeased by the boy getting credit for being 'the strategist' "However you see we no longer have use of the dragon eye with him, the other riders wont stand a chance without you and agsinst the nightfurry as well."
"What are you talikg about?" Hiccup asked with anger in his voice, 'what did Viggo mean "against the night furry"' "Thoothless wouldnt listen to you" he continued and Viggo laughed at him in response "Well what do you think i have him for, Blaine here has already made great friends with that little dragon of yours"
Hiccup looked with anger at disbelive at the other boy 'Thoothless would never' he thought.
"Let us continue Haddoc" Viggo pulled out a map and what looked like a contract. "You and your friends will return to your home archipelago and keep out of the dragon hunters waters, you will be set free as soon as the other riders have left the edge." he pointed at the map as he explained "Think about it. We dont want to sheed unecessary blood do we?"
Hiccup glared at the two "Thoothless will never-"
"Guards, escourt him back to his cell" Viggo inerrupted him "We two still have a lot to disguss."
~~~
Hiccup was escorted back to the cell he first woke up in, he was thinking about all kinds of ways to escape and get out of here, the Last thing he wanted was this dang contract and the scenarios following it.
It didnt took to long till Chillblain was brought back to the cell as well, the guard pushed him into the cell before locking the day behind the two. Hiccup charged at Chillblain trying to push him into a wall, Blaine looked at the guy im comfusion, while he had a quite fit build he wasnt the strongest. "Uhm..." he said akwardly "im sorry?"
"What are you sorry for?" Hiccup exclaimed taking a step back, quiting his hopeless try of a physical attack. "What are you up to? What are you doing with my dragon?"
Blaine sighed "I dont really have a choice here... but I am sorry about your situation it was one of my plans that got you into this mess after all" Hiccup wanted to be mad and he had every reason to be but this guy seemed so genuine.
"I do not mean harm towards your dragon" he sighed "...you know, i once too had a dragon..."
"Well" Hiccup sighed "You brought me into this mess now get me out of it." He spoke firmly.
Chillblain chuckled akwardly "Hiccup i really cant, you wouldnt know what Viggo would..." he shudderd at his own words. Hiccup raised an eyebrow "Viggo would what? Is this abot the agreement you had with him?"
Blaine noded slowly "If I get him the nightfurry i would be free"
"Have you never tried to escape?" Hiccup asked.
"I did. Once... and now my dragon is..." Chillblain spoke with deep sadness in his voice and he looked down at the floor in regrett.
"I have a better deal for you. You help me escape and youll be free to" Blaine looked back at him in confussion "come on 'you great strategist' is there really nothing you can think of? What have you got to loose?" Hiccup gave him a reasuring smile.
Blaine smiled but shook his head "Hiccup you wouldnt know what Viggo would do if he caught us-"
"we wont get caught than!" Hiccup contnued "you can come to the edge with me...i still dont really trust you but i cant have you here teaching all these hunters more about dragongs and... i believe you dont deserve this. You dont wanna harm dragons do you?"
Chillblain looked up sheepishly than shook his head slightly, "ok lets give this a try..."
After a few minutes Blaine had already come up with a plan, "Give me your hands, i need that rope" he ordered hiccup, untied his hand and than he tied a loop into the rope. Hiccup watched him with confusion but soon that confusion turned into amazment. After a few tries Blaine had managed to grab a knife with the help of the rope which one of the guards had foolishly left behind after cuting some bread. He took the knife and hid it inside of his boot. "Now let me tie you up again" he ordered Hiccup "Im making a false knot so you can open them up later, It should be feeding time soon, the guards wont go near your dragon so ive been taking care of him i will ask them to take you along" he explained.
"Are you sure that will work?" Hiccup questioned.
Blaine answered with an uncomftable laugh "Yeah sure why wouldnt it the guards love me, i even have my own nickname" he said with sarcasm though sounding very unconfident. "Thor Viggo will kill me..." he mumbled and Hiccup put a hand on his shouler "Dont worry, i wont let that happen" Blaine took a deep breath.
It took a few minutes but Blaine was right a guard appeared who angrily grunted at him "You. its time to feed the beast." Chillblain nodded and steped towards the gate "we should the rider along"
"Sure" The hunter scoffed "So he can escape or what?"
"The dragon needs to se him" Blain explained with a firm voice "he had been hurt and is under a lot of stress, he wont eat, the rider and the dragon have a very close bond and we dont want the dragon to starve before the big mission do we now?"
"Ugh whatever Freezeface but he stays tied up" The guard groaned turning around to lead the way and Blaine smilled at Hiccup.
The guard lead them toward a cell far away from the deck and Hiccup started to get nervous about the plan but all those worries left his mind when he saw his friend "Thoothless!" he exclaimed but the guard held onto him " You can see him but you will have to stay here." he grunnted. As soon as the guard grabbed Hiccup Thoothless started to grumble, Hiccup was about to order him to stay calm but Blaine was faster.
"Hey Hey Buddy its alright" He steped in front of Thoothless's view of Hiccup and started to do some strange hand movements and soon enough the dragon got distracted but still nervous, Blaine grabbed a fish from a barel and slipped into Thoothless's cage.
He held up the fish with one hand and continued the hand movements with the other seemingly to distract the dragon, finally he made a whisteling sound through his thooth-gap and the dragon let himself lump onto the floor and whem he layed there relaxed Blaine set down next to him feeding him the fish. Hiccup watched in amazement, he had never seen this kind of dragon trainig before nor Toothless being so calm and relaxed while he was looked in a cage and Hiccup in danger. "How do you-" Hiccup started but was interruped by the guard, he was started to get fed up with all the interuptions today.
"The dragon is fed now back to your cell."
"Ofcourse" Blaine smiled and he sneakily grabbed the knife from his boot as he stood up. He got out of the cell and Thoothless watched with big sad eyes as he realized his friends were being lead away again. The guard turned around to go ahead and in that moment Blaine grabed his wirist bending his arm onto his back and slamming him face first into a wall holding up his knife up to the guards throught "Id be real silent right now if i were you"
Hiccup freed himself from his ropes and hurried to the cage to free Thoothless who was overjoyed to see his friend. After Thoothless was out the cell Blaine pushed the guard inside and locked him up "hope you wont miss my 'Freezeface' cause this is the last time youll see it and joke about it." he mocked the guard in anger, Hiccup could tell how fed up Blaine was with the treatment he had been reciving as prisoner here.
"Lets go!" Hiccup hurried him along.
Blaine nodded "In the fifth door from here is a storageroom, it has a trapdoor to the main deck we should escape throgh there" Hiccup noded and trsuted the boys the instruction.
Most of the guards had their dinner break at the moment but ofc it didnt take long till someone yelled "THE NIGHTFURRY" And soon enough the main deck was swarmed in guards but they were faster out of their reach than they could shoot.
Blaine was breathing heathy, panicked by the situation he held close onto Hiccup. "Are you ok?" Hiccup asked to which blaine lightend his grip "Oh yeah- yeah ofcourse sorry, just... still kinda afraid."
"Dont worry about it, youll love dragons edge" Hiccup tried to cheer the strange guy up, he didnt really know himself what to do with him now but he was glad he was able to help him, even though Blaine was the one with the plan. Hiccup figgured the guy just had a really damaged selfestem.
~~~
At the edge Astrid had already summoned the rest of the riders worried about Hiccups disapperence.
"He's fineeeee, dont worry your pretty head about him" Snotloud dissmissed her worries while the twins were messing around and Fishlegs was already plannig where to search for thier leader.
Heather gave Snotloud an annoyed look "Astrid he has a point-"
"See Astrid? *I* have a point *HEATHER* has said so" he interrupted her.
"This is Hiccup we are talking about, even if he has gotten captured he can take care of himself. Fishlegs do you know where he was patrolling?" She turned to her friend and Astrid sighed, she knew they were right but she couldnt help but worry.
"Okay guys me and Heather will stay here to guard the edge, Snotloud you will fly over the back of the island, Astrid you can check the area Hiccup was patrolling, Ruff and Tuff you will check the sea stacks for any ships" Fishlegs ordered.
"I have an better idea" Tuffnut exclaimed, How about we ask Hiccuo himself where he was?"
Fishlegs gave Tuff a confused look before hearing Astrid call out "Hiccup, youre alright" she walked towards him but stopped herself from hugging him as he got of Thoothless. Hiccup walked into the clubhouse and Blaine akwardly stayed put next to Thoothless, while he was glad to be here he still felt scared and out of place.
"Hey who is that guy?" Tuffnut asked and Chillblain carefully followed Hiccup inside who introduced him "This is Chillblaine, he is a fellow Dragonrider who helped me escape from a dragon hunter ship." Chillblaine was glad he left out the part of him being the reason of Hiccup getting caught and making a deal with Viggo but he figured that would come up soon enough anyway. "Just Blaine s fine..." he added in a mumble.
"Hiccup i hate to be the barrer of bad news but you kind of need to have a dragon to be a dragon rider." Tuffnut joked around but Fishlegs carried on the questioning ignoring the remark.
"Youve been captured? How?" Hiccups best friend asked and Hiccup looked at Chillblaine who took a deep breath before explaining.
" We uhm... stationed a guard to keep watch on a nearby beachcave hidden by Changeling skin, to keep watch which rider was patroling at what time, what direction they came and left, over the time of multiple months..." He explained and the whole room feel silent with all the riders staring at him.
It was Hiccup who spoke up before anyone would say something "Heyyyy so he helped out the hunters a bit to protect his life happens lets not focus on that..."
"Hiccup he is one of the dragon hunters and you brought him here?" Fishlegs asked and all the riders were staring at Blaine with the same distrust and anger.
"He is not a dragon hunter, he is 'the strategist'" Fishlegs moth fell agape "BUT, he is the one who saved me!" He tried to defend him.
Astrid stepped forward in anger "Youre the one who has been teaching the hunters about dragons! Hiccup he is wearing dragon skin what more proof of him being a hunter do you need" she pointed out the neckpiece and wristband Blaine was wearing.
"Look i know how it seems, but its better we keep him here-" Hiccup tried to explain but Blaine spoke up for themselves."That is the only things i can remember my dragon by... Viggo killed my dragon when i tried to escape... among other things... I am not a dragon hunter but i can see im not welcome here"
A few of their faces softened as he explained himself and Hiccup spoke up again "Hey lets be rational, we cant risk you getting captured by Viggo again, you have a lot of knowledge about dragons and that knowledge could help us at well. How about you stay for the night so you can get some good rest and thing about your nect steps and we get back to this conversation tomorrow."
~~~
Most of the riders agreed but Astrid was clearly displesuared by this decision. Hiccup led Blaine to his hut were he could stay for the moment before returning to the clubhouse to continue the conversation where the others were still noticebly still being rilled up by Astrid.
He sighed as he reentered the conversation "Astrid i have seen it myself, he was able to calm Thoothless completly down when a guard threatend me, i have never seen someone handle dragons the way he did, he clearly has a similar talent as me, we should give him a chance we could learn a lot from him"
"If he really is the strategist we would have the upper hand gainst the dragon hunters before" Fishlegs exclaimed.
Heather nodded in agreement "Astrid lets give him a chance, you trust me now too dont you?"
Astrid wanted to shout something back but she didnt wanna hurt her friend, she did trust her and afterall Heather and her brother had a similar background of cooporating with the dragon hunters "Fine but ill keep a close eye on him"
"Thans astrid" Hiccup nodded "Snotloud, Ruff, Tuff what do you think?" he tried getting input from the rest of his friends but as usual they were distracted by goofing of and already forgot about the conversation.
"Well ill be going to bed soon, ive had a pretty long day" Hiccup explained and went back to his hut.
He wasnt surprised to see Blaine still awake, when he entered he saw the boy looking at his notes and sketches of his inventions "Oh hey Hiccup- sorry i hope you didnt mind me looking at these.."Blaine akwardly asked afraid of being scolded since the dragon riders were still ditrusting of him. "Not at all" Hiccup replied, those sketches were mainly old notes, things he had to fix or brainstorming ideas, all his important notes were hidden away ofcorse. "These are amazing Hiccup" Blaine complimented as he gazed at the wall of papers "i cant even comprehend some of these, your handiwork is admireble"
"So is your dragon training" Hiccup replied leading the conversation to some question he had been meaning to ask "Where did you learn to do it?"
Blaine shrugged "ever since i was small i felt drawn to them and most of it came to me naturally or by learning directly from them... your nightfurry is amazing you two share a really special bond" Hiccup nodded. "You know i cant help but wonder, the dragon leather you wear ist black..."
Blaine shook his head gently "My dragon wasnt a nightfurry, yours may really be the very last one" Hiccup nodded a bit disapointed "A Zippleback" Blaine continued to explain "Ive called them Snap and Spark, their theeth kinda looked lie bunny theeth and Snap had a lazy eye, Ive never seen that before in a dragon" Blaine talked in a calm voice longing after his dragn as he remembered while Hiccup listend patiently, understanding the boys grief "His under belly was black thats were the skin was from... the majority of the dragon was yellow-orange with bright pink pattering..." Blaine stopped for bit and took a deep breath "Viggo gave me theese after they sold... the rest... he was a beautiful dragon Hiccup 'a shame they couldnt breed more dragons with his color pattern' is what Viggo had told me..." Blaine started to tear up.
Hiccp put an arm aroumd his shoulder and Blaine flinched for a moment he was unsure if he should step back "its ok, you dont need to speak more about him, youre safe now.... would you like to visit our dragon stables tomorw? We could feed them and you could show me some mor eof those tricks of yours" hiccup smiled and Blaine nodded through the sobs.
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