Sooo, I've been sitting on this story a loooooong time. If I tell you the first draft had a positive reference to Traitor *cough* ahem, Trader Johan does that tell you how long? It was meant to be a quick intro to a smutty one-shot but as I wrote it, it just seemed to get bigger and bigger and somehow lost the smut (sorry). But I had no idea where to go next so I just saved the file and walked away. Metaphorically. Except…..the story wanted to get told and kept nagging at me. Mercifully, after a conversation with a dear friend (thank you my beloved Shippy!) about the frustration of unfinished plots and some rapidly bounced ideas, I finally had a clue of its direction. So I went back, re-wrote it and here you go. Chapter One.

There's an aspect of the Hiccstrid relationship I've always loved and I wanted to see what would happen if I messed with it a bit…. I don't want to say much more because Spoilers! Sweetie, but all should become clear. I'll update as often as I can and, as always, would love to hear your thoughts and comments in between chapters. Enjoy!

(Just in case, the bits in italics and between the dots … are flashbacks. An o0o is a paragraph break, encouraging you to take a breath.)

Tainted

After flying for hours upon hours in frigid winds with nothing to see but floating ice and freezing ocean the tiny sliver of land peeking over the horizon was to Astrid a welcome miracle. She exhaled a long breath, grinning widely.

"Berk, Stormfly! Oh, thank Thor, it's good to see home again." At Stormfly's indignant squawk, she chuckled and reached down to pat the dragon. "Oh, don't give me that, you've been wonderful company as always but you can't tell me you haven't missed our boys. Two is great, but four is better and you know it… Woah! Girl!" Stormfly pulled back from her sudden dive and shuddered her wings, shaking Astrid until she giggled. "Now come on, I'm right! Besides, haven't the last six days have seemed like a lifetime? No dragon feeding stations, no hot springs, no beds, no cooked food…the next time Hiccup wants someone to negotiate with the Backward Barbarians he can damn well send someone else to sleep in the mud, can't he?" Stormfly heartily trilled her agreement. "Come on, let's go tell him ourselves. The stables are bound to have chicken for you…" Astrid, laughing loudly, was thrown back into the saddle by the Nadder's sudden burst of speed. "That's my girl!"

Gliding quickly past the harbour statues they swooped in through the open stable door and made an elegant landing. It was eerily quiet, nobody tending the dragons, nobody manning the doors and, heart wrenchingly, nobody waiting to greet her, though she must have been seen as she flew in. Where was everyone? Most importantly, where was Hiccup? Quickly, Astrid dismounted, unsaddled Stormfly, found her a pen with plenty of fish and headed for the door. Sensing her unease, the Nadder squawked.

"I know girl, something's wrong," Astrid called over her shoulder, "just let me find out what and I'll be back with your chicken before you know it. Oh!" The sound of four familiar feet sounded in the entrance tunnel and she relaxed a little as the lithe black form of her favourite Night Fury appeared and almost knocked her down. "Toothless! It's good to see you too bud…" She reached out her hand to scratch him under the chin where she knew he liked it best "Hey! What…?" Instead of accepting the affection he grabbed her wrist in his gummy mouth and began to drag her out of the stables. She stumbled as he sped along, unable to free herself.

"Hey! Toothless? What's the matter boy? Where are we going? Where's Hiccup? Toothless! Where is Hiccup? Toothless…Toothless, stop!"

"Toothless! Drop the lassie." Gobber's rough voice boomed and his stumpy form blocked the tunnel. Toothless skidded to a halt, releasing Astrid. "She'll be nae help tae anyone if yer pull her arm off. Good lad." Sighing wearily he turned to Astrid. "And that's a whole lot'o questions to be askin' a dragon Astrid, it's nae like he can answer back."

"No," she massaged blood back into her wrist and advanced on the blacksmith, "but you can. Something is really wrong here and you're going to tell me exactly what it is. Start talking."

"Lass, now, I don't want yer tae panic, but yer need tae come up tae the Academy. Hiccup's…well, Hiccup's…"

"What? He's what? Spit it out Gobber!"

"Hiccup's been poisoned."

o0o

"Tell me exactly what happened." Astrid, attention fully on Gobber, worked Toothless' tailfin without thinking as he flew them across the village.

"It happened four days ago..."

"What?" She cut in, livid, "You should have sent for me!"

"We did lass! But if you didnae get the terror-mail, Thor alone only knows where it got tae. Those barbarians probably ate it and the scroll when it arrived. Anyhow. Listen. We'd a new trader come intae port that morning, naebody'd seen him before, but he seemed decent enough and knew plenty about us. Said he was expandin' his trade routes. Anyway, he gave a gift tae Hiccup. A token, apparently, fae the Chief of Berk…"

…

Leaving the docks, Hiccup climbed the wooden stairs back up to the village. When he reached the top he headed towards Gobber's forge and popped his head through the shutters. He blacksmith was just visible through a cloud of smoke and sparks.

"Gobber!" he called, "Council meeting!"

"Alright lad, I'm comin'" Gobber plunged the sword he was shaping into the water barrel adding steam to the smoke and obscuring himself completely. When the cloud cleared, he was standing outside, startling Hiccup who was still peering into the forge. "What are ye waiting for?"

Master and old apprentice, they walked, chatting about nothing much, toward the Great Hall where the rest of the Council were waiting, Hiccup absently twirling something small and wooden in his hands

"What's that bit o' pretty then lad? Looks expensive."

"A 'token for the Chief', apparently. The new trader gave it to me, you know, the one with the green sails? What's his name...Calder? Seems there are some perks to this job after all!" Hiccup smiled, "It is pretty isn't it? I've never seen so many colours of wood in one place before, and look at how finely they're inlaid…That's real craftsmanship." He held the box up to the light, the various shades of wood making up the pattern glowing warmly in the sun. "It's a puzzle box. I haven't figured out how to get into it yet though. If I can work it out, I thought it might be a good 'welcome home' gift for Astrid, when she gets back"

Mentioning his wife's name Hiccup blushed faintly and Gobber chuckled at the Chief's everlasting innocence. They arrived at the Hall doors and Gobber paused, looking out to sea and pointing.

"I hope yer can work it out yerself then lad, that trader's sailed, look." Hiccup followed the hook. Sure enough, the boat's distinctive sails were already slipping below the horizon and disappearing from view. "Wonder what's put him in such a hurry?"

…

"Before yer say anythin' Astrid, I know it was daft tae take a gift from a stranger, but it was pretty and Calder seemed a decent sort. Said he partnered sometimes wi' Trader Audun and you know how reliable Audun is. He stood a good few rounds fae the lads in the Hall too, and the goods he had, well, ye'd have tae have seen…, urk!"

He broke off as Astrid drove Toothless sharply downwards.

"Gobber. Forget the trader. What happened to Hiccup?"

…

The meeting dragged on and Hiccup found himself listening with only half an ear as he turned the box over and over in his hands. There had to be a way to make it open… Pressing parts of the pattern brought no results; neither did trying to slide the panels. Finally, he gripped one end in each hand and twisted. There was a loud 'click', Hiccup yelped and the box clattered to the table.

"Lad? Are yer alright?"

Hiccup held out shaking hands, both palms weeping red from deep circular punctures in the centre. He waved vaguely at the fallen box, and Gobber gingerly picked it up to show each end now sporting a short, wicked-looking spike. Under the film of blood dripping from each pin, a green coating was clearly visible. Hiccup, suddenly pale, swallowed hard.

"Actually Gobber, I really rather think I might be in trouble."

…

"Booby trapped," Gobber stated flatly. "Poisoned needles. Everyone panicked at first, but then nothin' seemed tae happen. Hiccup was fine. He was! Business as usual, fer a good half-day anyway, until the symptoms started tae show. We took the box tae Gothi then o'course but it took her a while t'figure out what it was and by that time he was…."

Toothless touched down gently by the Academy. All around on the observation platforms Hooligans were gathered in small, silent groups, all staring down to the arena floor. Some leaned heavily on their neighbours, a couple were sporting stained bandages and Tuffnut was standing close by Ruff and Snot, his arm trussed up in a sling. Across the arena, Valka looked up as they landed, her face drawn and lined. She half-raised her hand in greeting but before they could step in her direction her gaze swung back to the Academy floor like a nail to a lodestone. Astrid's stomach lurched. She'd only seen that desolate look on Valka's face once before and the memory made her swallow hard. From the academy below, alarming animalistic noises rose, along with strange, meaty thuds. Ignoring Toothless as he raised his hackles and growled Astrid slipped from the saddle and turned to pull Gobber angrily down after her.

"Gobber! For the love of Loki, what happened to Hiccup?"

He waved his hook wearily toward the arena.

"He's down there. See f'yourself."

o0o

Cautiously, Astrid crept to the edge of the platform, heart hammering, afraid to look. What was down there? Hiccup in pain? Passed out? Sick? Surely nothing worse, or Gobber would have said, wouldn't he? She braced herself as she peered through the fence and was still not prepared. Below, Hiccup stood surrounded by three huge Hooligans. They were circling him warily and, judging by the sweat dripping from every brow and the exhausted lines of their faces, whatever was happening had been happening for a while. Hiccup, though, was different. His unruly auburn mop was similarly plastered down to his head and his tunic clung wetly to his back, but while the other men looked near collapse, he bristled with a palpable energy. Panting lightly he whipped his head back and forth, keeping an eye on each of the Vikings surrounding him, stance strong, fists raised. But his face. It was his face that made Astrid's heart drop. Hiccup's usual, amiable smile was wiped away. In its place was an unwavering stare, nothing like any expression she'd ever seen him wear. It was dark, black and glinted dangerously as it shifted from target to target, lips below drawn back in a mocking snarl, teeth bared. It was the face of a predator eyeing prey.

"What in Thor's name….?" she turned to Gobber but a sudden movement below caught her eye as one of the huge Vikings rushed Hiccup from behind. She leapt forward and began to gasp out a warning,

"Shit, Hic…!"

But he didn't need it. As the big man ran forward with outstretched arms to catch him in a bear hug grip Hiccup spun effortlessly on his heel and drove his right elbow deep into the Viking's guts then, when the hulk collapsed forward, winded, snapped his fist up to smash the unguarded nose. Bright blood splattered down Hiccup's arm and across his face as he laughed, the sound full of harsh, incongruous joy. Astrid recoiled but couldn't look away. As that opponent staggered away, another, thinking to take advantage of the distraction, was quickly reminded that his Chief was a leftie as a massive punch landed solidly under his jaw sending him down with a dazed expression that would have been comical in different circumstances. Hiccup eyed the final man. Or, at least what Astrid had thought was the final man until, unbelievably, the gates of the arena lifted to allow the two injured Hooligans to drag themselves out of the ring and two others walked in, apparently in to take their places. Facing the fresh men of his tribe the Chief merely laughed again, this time a vicious low chuckle, cracked his knuckles and resumed his ready stance.

Astrid, riveted to the melee continuing below, placed a palm flat on Toothless' head where he had joined her at the rail, whining piteously. It seemed unreal. How could that…that vicious …fighter… down there be Hiccup? Her Hiccup?

"Ah lads," Gobber murmured from beside her, "I keep telling yer, avoid the left hand. He looks small the boy does, but he is a blacksmith. There are muscles hidden in those stringy lookin' arms."

The commentary jolted Astrid out of her trance and she turned on Gobber, grabbing a fistful of his sweaty linen shirt. "Explain," she hissed. "Explain and explain now."

Gobber sighed. "Ah Astrid, it's the poison. Like I said, it started t'take effect a few hours later. At first he was just out o'sorts. Snappish like. Temper. Biting off heads, like. Then things got worse."

…

"Hiccup, I need tae talk tae yer. What in Odin's name did yer say tae Sven about his sheep? The poor man cannae stop crying!"

"Go away Gobber, I'm busy." The voice was low, toneless. Gobber stared, taking in the figure of Hiccup sat scrunched on a stool in a corner of his house, facing the wall, clutching a heavy mead tankard, tension clear in the lines of his shoulders. Gobber scoffed.

"Oh, busy is it? Tae busy t'be tactful? I know Sven's a pain but that flock is his pride and joy, and yer know that, just…"

"I said go away, Gobber, leave me alone."

"I'll not lad. Yer need to get up and go apologise…."

"Go away, I mean it."

"I'm going nowhere 'til you've…"

"Go! Away!" Hiccup sprang to his feet and rounded on Gobber, eyes glassy, his face livid and suffused with rage. Prodding him hard in the chest almost as punctuation Hiccup backed the blacksmith towards the door. "How hard would it be for you to just. Do. As. You're. Fucking. Told? For once? Just do what I damn well SAY!"

With a grimace and surprising force he threw his mead tankard, just missing Gobber's head. It met the opposite wall, falling to pieces with a loud crash that seemed to rouse Hiccup. He shook his head rapidly as if to clear it. Gobber's astonished stare led him to the scattered wood fragments and deep dent in the far wall. He blinked. "Gobber? What happened?"

…

"That was the start. But it was when he tried tae throttle Spitelout over where exactly the winter stores should b'kept this year that we knew somethin' was really wrong. Eret had to knock him cold to get his hands off Spitelout's throat. Not that I'll say I havenae been tempted tae do the same tae Spitelout in the past… But that's by the by" he added hastily as he caught Astrid's furious glare. "It's the poison lovey, that's what it does. Hits the part of yer brain that makes yer aggressive and stokes it up until its burnin' yer from inside. It feeds off yer inner demons Gothi says. It's 'fight or flight', except 'flight' isn't an option. He cannae help it, he just has to fight somethin'. It comes in fits and starts, one minute he'll be fine and the next, spittin' fury. He cannae control much about what he does when the fever's got him and his lucid times are getting shorter. It started wi' Spitelout and just got worse when he came round again from Eret's punch, nae man in the village could speak tae him, everything was a threat or an insult. Eventually we had tae bring him here, dinnae look at me like that, it was his idea! It seems the poison lends yer some strength too, and sharpens yer reflexes, and you'll understand on Hiccup, that's deadly. He was sharp enough before but now, he's lightnin'. The Academy's the only place with enough bars tae keep him under control until he comes tae himself again. Or as under control as it gets."

…

"Hiccup, you've got t'be kiddin'," Gobber pleaded, "there must be somethin' else we can dae!"

A chorus of agreement ran round the Great Hall, no-one wanted to see their Chief locked up, even at his own command. Hiccup, slumped wearily as Valka wiped dried blood from his knuckles, looked so small and tired, so much just , well, Hiccup, that it was hard to believe he could be any real danger to his own tribe, despite the violent changes of mood they'd seen. It wasn't right, it upset the natural order of Berk. Hiccup, however, had no such qualms.

"No." he shook his head firmly. "I can't think of anything right now, and I don't know how long I'll be myself for. We have to keep people safe, even if it's from me. The Academy has bars too high for me to climb, and heavy doors. Until Gothi comes up with an antidote, that's where I have to be."

Valka paused, wringing out the cloth into basin. The water in it was tinged dark pink.

"It does seem a bit drastic son. Couldn't we just…"

"Drastic?" Hiccup barked, jumping to his feet. "Drastic? I dislocated Tuffnut's arm, Mom! Me! Because he jostled me in the street! Did you hear me? He bumped me by accident and I pulled his fucking arm out of its socket!"

Valka recoiled and several Hooligans took a pace forward, big hands ready to hold Hiccup back if they had to. Seeing the movement, Hiccup took a breath, visibly gathered himself and sat down heavily. Valka cautiously patted his hand.

"It wasn't you, Hiccup, it was the poison, we all understand that."

"It was me. Poison be buggered, it was. I can remember how his joint popped under my hand. And I'd say I didn't want to do it, but I know that at the time I damn-well did. I did! I saw it all, heard it all, felt it all and I didn't stop myself. I couldn't! You have to understand, Mom, Gobber, all of you. I'm barely holding it back now. It's like a storm brewing under my skin and the lightning could strike anyone, any minute. Please. Just do what I'm telling you. For everyone's sake. Until we find the cure. Get the dragons out of the academy and lock me up."

The procession down to the arena was quiet but quick. Hiccup's last attack had been some time ago now and everyone was counting the minutes. At the Academy gates, the tribe paused as Hiccup shakily accepted a chorus of reassurances and said a few goodbyes. He apologised again to Tuffnut (who declared himself totally cool with the incident because apparently the noise his shoulder had made had been awesome enough to be worth the pain. Ruffnut agreed wholeheartedly), kissed his Mother on the forehead, shook hands with Snot and Eret. Finally, reaching Gobber, he hugged him hard and spoke low into his ear.

"Astrid…"

"She'll be on her way back now lad. As soon as she gets here I'll bring her down tae you. Don't worry about…"

"No." Hiccup was firm. "Don't. No. I won't risk her and I don't want her seeing me like this. Is that clear? Think of something to tell her. Keep Astrid away." Drawing himself up tall he turned to the empty ring and strode forward, calling over his shoulder. "I'll see you all soon then." And the heavy iron grille closed behind him.

…

"That was the day before yesterday. He's been in there ever since."

Astrid head spun. Obviously Gobber had decided to ignore Hiccup's order regarding her, thank Freyja, but there would be time to thank him later.

"Who would…and how? How is all this possible? And why isn't Toothless with him? Surely Toothless could bring him round! If Hiccup can bring him back from the Bewilderbeast, Toothless can help Hiccup, they're always better together, we all know that! Rider and Dragon, it's how we work!"

Beside her the black dragon rumbled his agreement but Gobber ruefully shook his head.

"We don' know who. Snot and Gustav headed out after the trader soon as it happened, but they didnae find a sign of him. He could ha' come from almost anywhere, lass. Drago couldnae have been the only one after the ruling the world, and Hiccup's an obstacle tae that sort of plan, eh? Someone wants Hiccup gone, maybe wants him tae disgrace himself on the way. The voice of peace in the archipelago showin' such violence? Discredits all his work. It's as clever as it is twisted."

Astrid opened her mouth but he cut her off.

"I know, I know, it was stupid tae take the bloody box, but it looked harmless, and you know how Hiccup is for a puzzle. And as for the 'how' and why we're keepin' Toothless out, it's the same thing. We cannae risk the dragons being exposed to the poison. Gothi's looked at the dart; it's been coated with somethin' brewed from those evil bloody leeches, the Grimora. Remember those?"

"Shit."

She certainly did remember. Back when they were living at Dragon's Edge with the rest of the gang she'd persuaded Hiccup to let them take a holiday on an unexplored island with a beautiful lagoon. It had turned out to be a mistake, as they discovered when venomous leeches, the Grimora, had latched onto their dragons and turned them feral. The dragons had ended up hunting their riders, only stopping when the leeches were driven off by salt water. It made perfect sense then, keeping Toothless away. Nobody needed feral dragons again, especially not now, and especially not a Night Fury. Astrid thought furiously. The leeches didn't bite humans she knew, but apparently that didn't stop humans being affected by the venom. But if it was Grimora…

"Salt water!" she exclaimed, "Gobber! Salt water!"

"Was the first thing we tried lass! D'ya think I'm daft? Apparently it dosenae work if you have the venom but nae the leech itself. Bucket broke a finger finding that one out."

Disappointment tinged her voice. "Right, of course you tried. So why all this? Why are you fighting him? Getting all these men hurt? Why not leave him in there if he's 'controlled'? Why not just let it wear off?"

Gobber sighed. "Because it won't. And because he needs it." he answered, pain lacing his voice, "We cannae have him roaming Berk when these fits come, but turns out we cannae leave him alone either. We did, at first, like he asked. But we soon found out the poison doesnae give an easy out like that. If he's got naeone tae fight, he fights himself. He did a bunch o'stupid things when he was in there alone, climbed the walls, messed with the weapons. Cut himself a few times, when he couldnae do anything else." Gobber's face twisted at Astrid's horrified gasp. "It's the rage lass, he's got tae punish somethin'. So. Here we are. This was Eret's idea, clever really. He set up a rota o'men fae Hiccup tae fight, keeps him busy."

The primal grunts and growls, which sounded so much worse to her now that she knew they came from Hiccup showed just how busy he was being kept at that moment. As did the relentless dull thumps of fist smacking into flesh. They both winced.

…

"Eret!" Gobber yelled, "Come out o'there!"

The big ex-trapper shook his head, sweat flying across the ring, blue chin tattoos dark against his scarlet face. "No thanks Gobber. We're having a good time, aren't we Chief?"

Hiccup snorted mirthlessly. "I am. Not sure about you though." He feinted right then darted left, landing a solid knuckle punch to Eret's shoulder, making that arm drop nerveless. Eret swore.

"That is enough, Eret! Get out! Someone else take him for a while"

Eret shook his head again. "Nope Gobber. Hiccup's helped me more times than I can count. This is my chance to help him. I'm not coming out until I absolutely have to." Sick determination on his face, he raised his working fist and faced his friend.

…

"He's a brave lad that one. Three hours he took Hiccup's punishment. O'course, that was yesterday afternoon, now the poison's effects are further in his system one man alone doesnae last that long so they're tackling him in teams. We've nae shortage of volunteers and Gothi's nearby tae tend anyone who needs it."

The dull resignation on his face terrified her, and it must have shown.

"Naebody's been hurt bad lass, especially not Hiccup, it's just, it's just hard. Hard to see through to the end."

Astrid swallowed and although she dreaded the answer, asked the only question. "And exactly how does this end Gobber? Does Gothi know?"

Gobber suddenly looked old. Older than she'd ever imagined he could, his face grey and slack.

"Aye, Gothi knows. She's read about it. We have tae force the poison's hold on Hiccup tae break. Like sweatin' out a fever ye ken, getting the patient hotter and hotter 'til it gives way. In Hiccup's case it's the rage we have t'build, stoke it up until it breaks. That's another reason for the fightin', we're tryin' tae push the poison-fever up so he can beat it. If we can get him tae the crisis point and past it, he'll be fine. If we cannae…." His voice broke.

Hers shook. "What if we can't?"

"Then he dies, Astrid. Gets hurt fightin', hurts himself. Or his heart just gives out. But that's it. If we cannae break the poison's hold, one way or another, Hiccup's dead."