Hello my darling readers,

I am so sorry everything took so very very long. So many things have been going on this past year, one of which was that all my creative energy was just... dead. I hope it's back now, and that I can finally, FINALLY, rescue Hiccup from his stab wound. Poor baby has been dying for a year... I hope you will all forgive me for taking so long with this, with everything, and I want to thank you all for your immense patience the past year. I never intended for it to take so long...

I love you all, you're all amazing human beings, or dragons, and I hope to have your continued support and friendship. For now, enjoy this chapter, and please, share your thoughts with me.

Love you all,
Aurora

Chapter 35. A New Beginning

It was like he was trying to claw his way through a thick fog that covered everything around him. His head was heavy and stuffy, his eyes refused to open and his entire body was numb. He wasn't sure where he was or what had happened, but when he finally did open his eyes, all he could see was the wall of his little room. There was a single candle, he could see the light dancing on the wood, but he couldn't see where it was placed. He stayed still for a few moments, becoming more aware of his surroundings, the fact that he was in his own bed, laying on his stomach. He felt strangely good, as if he had simply woken up from a night of deep sleep, but there was something nagging at the back of his mind. Something had happened, he just couldn't remember what.

He tried to get up, gasping when a flash of hot pain shot down his back, and almost immediately there was a hand on his shoulder, keeping him down. He tensed, he couldn't see who was there with him in the room, but Broghan appeared in front of him, kneeling next to the bed.

"Don't move," his brother whispered quietly, "just stay still."

"Hiccup..." he mumbled, "where"s Hiccup..."

"Wren..." Broghan said, "you shouldn't be thinking about anyone other than yourself right now. Tell me, what do you feel? Are you in pain?"

"Numb.." Wrenlou mumbled, "legs... numb... back hurts..."

"Do you remember what happened?" Broghan asked, hiding his worry well, "you've been out for a few days there. I was beginning to think we'd lost you too."

"T...too...?" he asked, "Hiccup...?"

"You're going to keep asking about him until I answer don't you..." Broghan said with a sigh, "don't worry about him. He's in the other room, still alive. He's hanging on, like you. You must have had the gods on your side... both of you should be dead."

"Drago..." Wrenlou asked, forcing himself to look at his brother. "What happened to Drago..."

"What do you remember?" Broghan countered his question, picking at the bandage on his arm.

"We... fought..." Wrenlou mumbled, trying to get Broghan's hand away from the bandage, his healer instinct still strong. "I... Pushed him... we... fell, I think. The ocean... the water was so cold... I thought.. how did I get out...?"

"Drago's Bewilderbeast... it saved you." Broghan mumbled, stroking Wrenlou's hair. "What you did... was very stupid..."

Wrenlou closed his eyes, too tired to argue with that. He heard Broghan get up, coming back moments later with Aminda, who pulled the blanket from him, peeling the bandage from his back.

"Broghan said your leg felt numb." She said while she changed the bandage. "I believe that's because the swelling is pressing on your nerves. I have no reason to believe there is any permanent damage to your spine, though it came very, very close to paralyzing you."

"I want to see Hiccup." Wrenlou mumbled, trying to ignore her words. He didn't want to think about being paralyzed.

"Tomorrow maybe." The woman said, pulling the blanket over him again. "I cam't risk you getting out of bed yet. You could end up damaging the nerves permanently, and that would cost you use of your leg."

"I don't care..." Wrenlou mumbled, but he accepted the cup she held to his lips, drinking the water gratefully.

"Tomorrow we'll see." Aminda said, setting the cup down. "Broghan, stay with him. Make sure he doesn't try to get up. I've given him a mild sedative, that should work for a few hours."

Broghan nodded, closing the door behind her, sitting on the side of the bed again.

"She's just worried." He said, trying to smile. "We all are. We nearly lost you. You're the only brother I have left Wren, what would I do without you."

"You'd go on..." Wrenlou mumbled tiredly. "You always do..."

Broghan smiled weakly, resting his head against the headboard of the bed as he watched his brother drift off to sleep again. He waited a while, then he got up, going into the other room, leaving the door on a crack. He joined Aminda and Astrid, staring down on Hiccup.

"Wren's asleep again." He said. "Just as well... he's determined to see Hiccup. Sometime soon. We'll have to help him. He won't stay in there. He just won't."

"I know." Aminda said, getting up to replace the cloth on Hiccup's head. "His fever won't go down... I don't understand... the wound shows no sign of infection, he should be getting better, not worse."

"M...Maybe Drago used poison on his blade..." Astrid suggested. "There are plenty of sources he could have gotten that from. But if he did... it's too late to try and find an antidote... isn't it."

"I don't think he did." Aminda said. "Even slow working poisons have symptoms, signs to tell you they are there. He is showing no signs, only symptoms of infection. And I don't understand how. We clan the wound every day... it can't be that."

Broghan put his arm around Astrid, seeing her on the verge of tears. "He'll pull through. He's Hiccup. He always pulls through..."

She nodded quietly, resting her head on his shoulder. "Go to sleep..." Broghan whispered. "You're exhausted. Think of the baby too. We'll stay here. We'll wake you if something changes, promise."

"Thank you..." Astrid whispered, getting up. She knelt next to Hiccup briefly, kissing his cheek before she went upstairs, glancing back before she closed the door.

0-0-0-0-0

"Wrenlou!" she said, "you should be in bed! It's barely been a week since you woke up! You have to rest, you're injured! Broghan, why did you let him come here?"

"I'm sorry," Broghan said, "I couldn't... say no... I'm sorry..."

Aminda sighed and looked at Wrenlou. His eyes were fixed on Hiccup's face while he was leaning on the table for support. His leg was still numb, but he had regained some use of it, enough to be able to walk short distances with the use of a cane.

"Come on," she said softly, "why don't you come with me. Broghan, get me blankets and pillows."

Broghan nodded and dashed back into Wrenlou's room, while Aminda helped Wrenlou to Hiccup. He was laying in a nest of blankets and pillows, close to the fire to keep him warm. His face was white against the brown of the furs he was laying on, and his breathing was so shallow it almost seemed like he was already dead.

"He was stabbed so badly..." Wrenlou said softly, stroking Hiccup's cheek.

"Yes," Aminda said with a sigh, "he was."

"I... I have to see it..." Wrenlou whispered while he looked up at the healer next to him, "please."

"Wrenlou, I don't think that's a good idea..." Aminda started, but the look in Wrenlou's eyes said enough. She sighed. "Very well..."

He watched as she carefully unwrapped the bandages she just changed, revealing to him the wound that Hiccup had suffered. Wrenlou gasped when he saw the ragged stab wound in Hiccup's abdomen.

"He lost a lot of blood... didn't he..." Wrenlou said, completely ignoring his own pain while he was focussed on Hiccup's injury.

"Yes." Aminda said, watching his every move. "It's..."

"Unsure if he'll survive..." Wrenlou mumbled. "Y...you can... you can bandage it again..."

He felt the tears burn again, but refused to cry. There was a hand on his shoulder, gently rubbing it and when he looked up he saw Astrid sitting next to him. Her eyes were also wet with tears. Somehow, seeing Astrid, tough, strong Astrid, on the brink of tears, caused his own to start falling. She hugged him tightly, unaware of the pain that caused him, but he didn't even care. Hiccup was probably dying, and there was nothing they could do about it.

They sat like that for a while, Astrid rubbing circles on his shoulder, trying to comfort him, while her own pain was just as great. Wrenlou was the first to break the hug, wiping the tears from his face.

"You... shouldn't be stressed," he mumbled, "that's bad for the baby..."

Despite her fear and sorrow, Astrid smiled weakly as she gently rubbed her stomach. She seemed absent for a while, and when she looked up, the tears were still in her eyes.

"This could be the only thing left of Hiccup," she whispered, "my baby might have to grow up without a dad..."

Wrenlou shook his head. "We can't lose hope." He said, slowly leaning back against the bench. "We have to keep hoping, and praying. If we lose hope, we lose everything. Besides... we still need to have a wedding..."

Astrid took her place on Hiccup's other side, taking his hand in her own. In light of everything that had happened the last few weeks, she had almost forgotten about the wedding. She looked at her engagement ring, the one Hiccup had made for her, and slowly took it off her finger. She placed it in the palm of his hand and closed his fingers around it. Then she held his closed hand in both her own, and closed her eyes. She prayed in silence, begging every god she knew of not to take Hiccup into Valhalla just yet, that his time wasn't over, that he still had a new chapter of his life ahead of him. That she needed him. That his baby needed him.

"You should sleep," Broghan said softly, sitting down next to his brother, "you need rest too."

Wrenlou nodded a little, now feeling the effects the physical exertion had on his body. Breathing seemed to have gotten harder, the pain now ever present. All his energy was gone, he was exhausted and all he could think about was sleep.

"I... I'll need some help..." he mumbled, looking up at Broghan.

His brother nodded, helping him get up, supporting him the short distance to his own bed. Wrenlou was asleep almost instantly, unaware that Broghan tucked the blanket around him.

0-0-0-0

Wrenlou sighed as he replaced the cloth on Hiccup's forehead. During the night his fever had spiked, but of course no one had bothered to wake him to tell him that. He had found out that morning, when Broghan brought him breakfast. Of course he had insisted on being with Hiccup, and eventually his brother had helped him back to the makeshift bed.

He hardly cared about his own injury, he knew he would be fine. Hiccup however, was still on the brink of death. He was pale, almost as white as snow, and his face was covered in cold sweat. The door opened and when he looked up, Astrid entered, carrying a bucket. She walked closer, careful not to spill a single drop, and set the bucket on the ground next to Hiccup's blanket nest.

"How is he," she asked softly.

Wrenlou shrugged and replaced the cloth again. "I don't know," he said truthfully, "it really can go either way. He can live... a...and he can die... I really don't know. I'm sorry Astrid... I wish I did."

"So what do we do..." she asked.

"We take care of him," Wrenlou said, "clean the wounds, make sure no infections set in, get his fever down, and we hope he'll pull through. He's strong... much stronger than most people give him credit for. He's been through worse and survived."

She nodded, a few tears slipping down her cheeks. She took Hiccup's hand in her own, gently stroking the back of it. She was scared, but she refused to admit it out loud. She was a Hofferson, and Hoffersons were fearless. But she couldn't deny the feelings that gripped her heart. Hiccup could die. The father of her baby, her future husband, could die. She bowed her head, trying to hide her tears, but when she felt a hand on her shoulder, she knew that she couldn't hide them from Wrenlou. He gently rubbed her back, his other hand still holding the cloth on Hiccup's forehead. She rested her head against Wrenlou shoulder, his arm securely around her shoulder.

"I'm doing what I can," he said softly, "you know that right?"

She nodded and pulled away, stroking Hiccup's hair from his face. When she looked at Wrenlou, she could see the pain and fatigue on his face.

"Why don't you rest," she said softly, "I... I'll keep watch, and I'll wake you if something changes."

Wrenlou nodded and slowly leaned back. He had a pillow in his back, giving him comfort as he rested against the bench. Broghan had come up with the idea, saying it would only make things worse if he had to keep walking back and forth between his room and Hiccup. He pulled the blanker around his shoulders, keeping his eyes fixed on Hiccup's face, and even though he was leaning back now, he kept the cloth on Hiccup's forehead. Astrid fixed the blankets around Hiccup's body, tucking them around his legs.

"Did they take his prosthetic off?" Wrenlou asked suddenly.

"I don't..." Astrid started, then she looked at his legs, "wait, let me check. No, they didn't. Why?"

"You should take it off," Wrenlou said and he sat up a little, "he always complains that it hurts more if he sleeps with it. You should take it off..."

Astrid nodded and carefully removed Hiccup's metal leg, setting it aside. Then she tucked the blanket around his leg and sat down at her spot next to his head again.

0-0-0-0-0

Wrenlou sighed as he carefully removed the bandage from Hiccup's torso. He was alone with him, Aminda had left to take care of another injured man, Astrid was upstairs, sleeping. She had been complaining that the baby had been giving her a hard time at night. Aminda had been about to clean the wound, but then came the word that another one was in desperate need of her help, a man who had lost his arm and would bleed out of she didn't go, so she had instructed Wrenlou to take care of Hiccup. So here he was, removing layer after layer of bandages, the last few layers soaked with blood.

After the final layer came off, he stopped , staring at the wound. It was red, still swollen and it still bled a little. It showed very little signs of healing. In fact, it still looked a little infected. He took the cloth from the warm water, wringing it out a little, and carefully cleaned the crusted blood away. He glanced at Hiccup's face, but he was unconscious, and didn't look like he would wake up anytime soon. He was still pale, from blood loss, still feverish.

"You're gonna be okay," he mumbled softly, carefully cleaning the wound and the surrounding area, "you'll see. I'll fix you right up. And when the baby's born, you will be a great father. And after that, we'll have a great wedding. The biggest one you've ever seen. You'll see..."

When he finished cleaning the wound in Hiccup's stomach, he looked at it, carefully pressing the red skin surrounding it. Then he sighed, knowing he would have to do the wound on his back too. But just as he went to turn Hiccup on his side so he could reach it, he stopped.

"Maybe that's why it won't close," he mumbled, "we keep stressing it, when we turn you over... you should stay on your side..."

He sat back, pondering what to do. If he moved Hiccup now, the wound would reopen again. He needed to seal it, at least for the moment. He stood up, grabbing the cane as he moved carefully, afraid to fall as he hobbled over to the table, where Aminda had left her medical supplies. He looked through the basket, hoping to find what he needed and when he did, he breathed a sigh of relief. He took the herbal mixture to the fire, and the cauldron that was above it, and after checking to see if there was enough water, he scooped some into a bowl, and carefully carried it over to Hiccup's makeshift bed on the floor. There he mixed the dried plants into the water, until it was a paste like substance. Then he used the paste to seal the wound, applying a good amount of it onto the stab. He waited a few moments, until it dried a little, then he pressed a piece of gauze on the wound, closing it completely.

"There," he mumbled, "that should do it. Alright, time to do the other one."

As careful as he could, trying not to disturb the wound, he rolled Hiccup onto his right side, his chest to the fire. The wound on his back didn't look as bad as the other one. It seemed smaller, not as red, and it hadn't bled recently. Cleaning it was easy, and he finished quickly. He also covered this one with the paste he had made, then a piece of gauze, and after that he wrapped the wounds again, making sure the paste and gauze stayed where he put them. After that he pulled the blanket around Hiccup's body, tucking him in tightly. Then he sat back, staring at his brother, almost willing him to wake up.

"Oh Hiccup," he whispered while tears started forming in his eyes, "what does it take for you not to die... what do I have to do... please wake up... please..."

But Hiccup didn't wake up. He didn't even move. The only movement he made was the slow, steady breaths he took. Wrenlou took Hiccup's hand in his own, gently rubbing his fingers over the calloused and scarred skin of Hiccup's hands.

"Please don't die..." he whispered, holding Hiccup's hand tighter, "please don't..."

He couldn't hold back the tears any more, and they slowly slipped down his cheeks. They fell on Hiccup's blanket, small droplets that slowly disappeared as they were being absorbed by the fabric. He looked at Hiccup's face, expressionless and pale, and carefully touched his cheek.

"You can't die... you hear me?" he said, "you can't. What about Astrid... the baby... Toothless... what about Berk... they need you... I need you..."

He knew it didn't look good. The wound was infected, and Hiccup's fever was higher than ever. He was restless, delirious, mumbling incoherent sentences, sometimes even screaming in fear. They had been powerless, unable to do anything about it besides pray. Nothing had succeeded in bringing his fever down, and nothing seemed to ease the pain he was in.

Astrid came down shortly after, silently taking her place next to Hiccup again. She had dark circles under her eyes, her hair tangled and dirty. She looked like a shell of her former self, despite Wrenlou's insisting that she made sure she ate, and got plenty of rest.

The door opened and Aminda came in, carrying a bucket with fresh water and a basket filled with all kinds of healing herbs. She shut the door behind her to keep the cold out, and hurried over, placing the bucket next to Wrenlou. It was water, just plain water from the well, but she had scooped up hands of ice and dropped them in the bucket as well, in an attempt to cool the water even further.

Wrenlou dunked the cloth in the water and shivered. After he had made sure it was wet all the way through, he put it back on Hiccup's forehead. Hiccup groaned softly and stirred, almost as if he would wake up, but his eyes remained closed.

"Hold him still," Aminda said as she knelt at Hiccup's side and started unwrapping the bandage, "this will hurt him."

Wrenlou nodded, placing his hand on Hiccup's shoulder. Aminda instructed Broghan to come and help them as he just walked in, and he did so, kneeling at Hiccup's legs to keep them still. The wound was fiery red, oozing blood and puss, and whenever someone touched the skin around it, Hiccup would cry out in agony.

"He will make it, won't he?" Astrid asked with tears in her eyes, holding Hiccup's hand in an iron grip.

"Astrid, sweetheart, I don't think he will," Aminda said softly, her hands never faltering, "if the fever stays this high, and if we can't stop the infection, there's nothing we can do."

"You're lying!" Astrid cried out, and her eyes shifted to Wrenlou, "tell me she's lying! Tell me you can save him! Please Wrenlou... he can't die..."

Wrenlou looked up, his eyes meeting Astrid's. She looked at him, silently begging him to tel her that he could save Hiccup.

"I... I'm sorry..." he whispered and he looked down, feeling tears burn, "it would take a miracle... b...but I suppose there's a small chance... t..that he could possible make it..."

Astrid looked down, her tears flowing freely now. She stood abruptly, mumbling a soft "scuse me" and almost ran upstairs. They looked at her go with sorrow, but knew they couldn't do anything to ease her pain.

Leila came in moments after, sitting with them silently. She herself seemed just as sad, her eyes red and puffy from crying. She managed a small smile for Wrenlou, then fixed her eyes on the ground, unwilling to look at anyone and possibly start crying.

"Wrenlou?" Broghan asked suddenly after a long silence, "will you be coming back with us after the funeral?"

"Funeral?" Wrenlou asked, looking up at his brother, "what are you talking about?"

"Broghan!" Leila said, looking shocked, "now is not the time to discuss this!"

"Come on guys," Broghan said, "you heard Aminda. He's dying. We came for a wedding, we'll stay for the funeral."

"How can you say that!" Wrenlou said as he scrambled to stand, ignoring the searing pain in his back, "he's not dead yet! He won't die!"

"Wrenlou..." Broghan said, standing up as well.

"No! Don't "Wrenlou" me!" Wrenlou yelled, "he's not dying! I can't believe you just said that. I honestly can't believe you think that!"

He stared at Broghan, tears burning in his eyes. Broghan looked back, opening his mouth to say something, but before he could Wrenlou turned around, leaving the house as quickly as he could. The door slammed shut, shaking some dust of the beams overhead, and when Broghan turned back, he saw Leila staring at him with an angry stare.

"Well done idiot," she said, crossing her arms, "you just had to go and say that. You know how close they are! Now look what you did."

"Leila..." Broghan said, but she stood up, still angry.

"You know full well how much Hiccup means to Wrenlou," she said, trying to keep her voice down, "you know how hard this is on him already! After everything Drago did to him, and now his best friend might be dying! You don't have to rub it in like that. You go find him and apologize, and it's not a question."

"Leila, I..." Broghan started, but she interrupted him.

"Find him, and apologize!" she hissed, pointing at the door, "right now!"

"Alright," Broghan mumbled and he walked to the door.

He turned back to say something, but swallowed the words when he saw the look on Leila's face. He simply left, closing the door behind him, sighing deeply.

As soon as Broghan had left, Leila sat down again, taking Hiccup's hand. She carefully straightened the blanket, pulling it around his shoulder.

"You can't go yet Hiccup," she whispered, "they need you. Wrenlou, Astrid, Toothless... Fight Hiccup," she said and softly kissed his forehead, "please, fight."

0-0-0-0-0-0

Broghan looked around. He had no idea where Wrenlou would go to hide here on Berk. He always knew where to find his brother back home in Dragoncity, but he simply had no clue where he would go now. He eventually found him in the healers hut, curled up in a corner.

"Wrenlou?" he asked softly.

"Go away..." Wrenlou mumbled as he turned away, wiping tears from his face.

"I'm sorry..." Broghan said as he sat down next to his brother, leaning against the wall, "that was... I shouldn't have said that. It was insensitive, and I'm sorry."

"What does it matter," Wrenlou said, still not looking at Broghan, "you're probably right anyway."

"Don't think that," Broghan said, "you can't know that for sure. And I shouldn't have been so presumptuous. Hiccup is strong, he could still live."

"It's just like Josh," Wrenlou whispered, "I'm helpless... there's nothing I can do..."

"There has to be something." Broghan said. "Something... anything. Even if it's just to ease the pain."

Wrenlou fell silent, his eyes shifting to the cabinet to the far right. "There might... be something..."

"There is?" Broghan asked. "You have something that could help him? Where? Where is it?"

"In there..." Wrenlou whispered. "It's a blue vial... you'll know it when you see it."

Broghan nodded and got up, opening the cabinet. He searched through the bottles and jars, eventually finding the vial Wrenlou meant. He took it out slowly, turning to his brother.

"But... this is..."

"Tincture of opium, yes. It's dangerous and addictive, but it's the strongest painkiller I have. It might even kill the infection. It's our best bet, truly."

Broghan sighed, helping Wrenlou up. "Come on then. We better hurry. Hiccup is running out of time."

0-0-0-0-0

They sat silently. The fire crackling beside Hiccup, the dancing shadows on the wall almost mocking. Astrid was holding Hiccup's hand, gently rubbing his knuckles. Wrenlou sat next to her, his hand on Hiccup's leg. Stoick had taken his son's head in his lap, looking down on his pale face, crying silently. Neither of them mentioned the Chief's tears. Toothless was not far away, watching his rider sadly. The dragon hadn't moved ever since they had brought him back to the house. The hours seemed to crawl by, the fire slowly going out, darkness crawling into the house.

"I... I will get more wood..." Stoick said, gently moving Hiccup's head back to the pillow.

He got up before anyone had a change to say anything. His voice had sounded hollow, not at all like his own, and the sound had cut the silence like a knife. They stayed silent until he returned, bringing some wood for the fire. They could clearly see his distress and worry in the way he fumbled with the fire, but when it was burning again, he took his position at Hiccup's head, and silence fell. This time it didn't last as long, and again it was Stoick who spoke up first.

"I should... ask Gobber t...to start building a ship..." he whispered, brushing some hair out of Hiccup's face.

Wrenlou looked up, frowning, and Astrid sobbed. Stoick looked down guiltily.

"A... a ship...?" Wrenlou asked, "what for...? Don't you have enough...?"

Astrid sobbed more, burying her face in her hands, and Wrenlou looked even more confused.

"No Wrenlou," Stoick said softly, "not that kind of ship..."

"Then what," Wrenlou said, "what do you mean."

"He means a funeral ship," Astrid managed to say between sobs, "a...a funeral ship..."

"He's not dying!" Wrenlou said sharply, "he won't! He can't!"

Stoick shook his head sadly and unclipped his bearskin cloak, gently draping it over Hiccup.

"I would have given you this at your wedding..." he said softly, "now you'll take it on another journey."

"He won't die," Wrenlou whispered, "he can't die..."

Stoick glanced at him and got up, his face sad and his gate heavy. He left the house, softly closing the door, and as soon as it did, Astrid broke down in tears.

"I don't want him to die," she sobbed when Wrenlou started rubbing her back, "I don't want our baby to grow up without his father. He needs his father. If Hiccup dies we might as well die too."

"Oh Astrid..." Wrenlou whispered, tears burning, and he hugged her tightly.

He wanted to believe Hiccup wouldn't die. He wanted to have hope that he would survive, but he found it harder every day. The pain in his back was nothing compared to the pain in his heart, that felt like it was being crushed every time he saw Hiccup, motionless and pale, balancing on the edge of death.

He sighed deeply, looking down. He felt the sleep pull on him from all sides, his wounds were burning, but he was too scared to leave Hiccup. He glanced over at Astrid, who had one hand on her stomach. She was almost at the end of her pregnancy, and she had told him she had barely been able to sleep due to the baby being active last night. He sighed a little, looking down on Hiccup again.

"We... em... we should wash him..." he said, "wash away the dirt... and sweat..."

"I can do that," she said, "you go get some sleep. You're exhausted and still recovering yourself."

"N...no... " he said, "I'll be fine... you'll need my help... with the wounds... and... eh..."

"Wrenlou, look at me," she said, turning his head so he was facing her, "I can handle it. In case you forgot, I spend days with the healers cleaning and bandaging wounds while you were unconscious. I got this, really."

He nodded a little and got up, looking down on them. He hesitated, biting his lip before he turned to walk to the door. He stopped half way though, turning back.

"A...Astrid..." he said, so softly she hardly heard him, "Drago... h...he made me..."

"He made you what?" she asked, frowning.

Wrenlou came back, sitting down again on the bench, fumbling with the cane. He glanced at Hiccup, at his back and looked away, a few lone tears on his cheeks.

"He... made me hurt him..." he whispered.

She stared at him, shocked. "He...what...?"

"H...he made me..." Wrenlou whispered, a few more tears slipping down, "he made me... I... I had no choice... I... it was..."

"Why would you do that..." Astrid said, still shocked, "he's your best friend!"

"He would have killed Snow!" Wrenlou practically screamed and when he looked at her she could see the hurt and desperation, "you don't understand... I raised her... from the day she hatched... I'm the only real family she has... me... a...and... and Hiccup... and... I didn't want to... I didn't... he made me do it... Astrid... you have no idea... Drago... he's evil itself. He would have killed Snow and Hiccup and all of Berk..."

He looked down, shaking with held back sobs. She felt her anger melt away when she looked at him. It was obvious that he was being torn apart by what Drago had made him to. She moved closer, putting an arm on his knee.

"I understand..." she said softly, "and I'm sure Hiccup does too. It isn't your fault... you're right about Drago. He is evil. He forced many of the men in his fleet to work or fight for him, just like he enslaved the dragons. Just as he forced you..."

"I promised I'd never do something that horrible..." he whispered, "not to anyone..."

"How about you go get some sleep," she said, "and I'll take care of Hiccup tonight."

"A... are you sure?" he asked, glancing at her baby belly, "if it's too much..."

"No, I'll be okay," she said with a weak smile, "go on, go get some sleep."

"I... I think I'll find Snow..." Wrenlou said. "I haven't seen her in so long..."

"You do that." Astrid said, managing a smile. "She's still in the stables."

He nodded a little and stood up. He left, but not before glancing back at the door, watching Hiccup for a few seconds. As soon as the door closed, she looked at Hiccup. Tears were burning in her eyes as she tried to imagine what it had been like for him. She also wondered how it would affect him in the future. She decided she would leave those worries for another day as she stood up to fill the bowl with warm water. After she had added some herbs that would help disinfect his skin, she set it next to him and went looking for a sponge. It wasn't easy finding one, for some reason someone had moved them all to a different cabinet, but her quest ended successfully. Lastly she grabbed a towel as she headed back towards Hiccup, laying all her supplies next to him.

Now came the tricky part. She had to carefully remove the bandages and whatever clothes he was wearing. She considered getting a healer to help, but then decided she was able to do it herself. She pulled the blanket back and folded it neatly, laying it on a nearby chair. Then she gently took his pants off, which she also folded neatly. Then she started to carefully unwrap the bandages that covered his body, revealing the cuts and bruises that covered his skin. She discarded the bandages, having fresh ones ready and waiting in a clean bowl.

She dipped the sponge in the water, letting it get completely soaked before she squeezed some of the water out. She then gently pressed it against his chest, allowing some of the water to flow over his skin. He groaned a little, shifted some, and then stilled. Even after being bedridden for weeks his muscles still amazed her. They weren't as defined as they had been before, but they were definitely still there. She ran the sponge over his arms, turning his hand over and washing that too. She then moved on to the rest of his torso, washing the sweat and grime away. She took extra care around the wound, barely touching it. After she had finished that she washed his legs, also taking extra care with the small cuts there. Stoick had come in unnoticed, and just as she sat back wondering how she was going to turn Hiccup onto his stomach, Stoick approached her.

"Let me help..." he said, sitting next to her.

She nodded, dropping the sponge in the bowl. The water had become dirty, blood and grime mixing.

"I have to get some clean water..." she said, standing up, "can you... can you turn him onto his stomach? Very carefully?"

Stoick nodded and took Hiccup's shoulders. He carefully lifted him some, laying him back down on his stomach. Astrid returned, sitting down again, putting the bowl on the floor. She sighed sadly as she looked at the scars on his back, along with the fresh wounds.

"Drago truly is a monster..." she said softly, taking the sponge, "how can anyone do this so any living creature."

"I don't know Astrid," Stoick said, gently stroking Hiccup's hair, "I think some people are just... born bad."

She nodded and started washing his back, careful not to put too much pressure on the tender skin. The wounds were healing fast, reduced to thin, pink lines, a stark contrast with the bleeding cuts they had been weeks ago.

"Should I get Wrenlou to bandage the wounds again?" Stoick asked when she finished.

"No... let him be with his dragon for now," she said, "I can do it. I'll need your help, but I can do it."

The man nodded, watching her as she took the first roll of gauze, pressing a piece of cloth against the stab wound in his back. Stoick held him, his son's head resting against his muscular arm, as she wrapped the bandages around his torso, securing the cloth pieces in place.

"Alright," she said, "I'm done. Right now he needs to rest."

Stoick nodded and gently let Hiccup slip down, tucking the blanket around him. He also pulled the bearskin over him again, a small flicker of hope in his eyes.

"Maybe he'll survive after all..." he mumbled. "He looks better now."

Astrid nodded, getting up to put the bowl away. She turned back to sit next to Hiccup again, gasping as she placed a hand on her stomach. Immediately Stoick looked up, coming over to help her sit down in his chair.

"What is it? Are you alright? Astrid? What happened?"

"I... I think my water broke..." Astrid whispered, suddenly terrified. "Stoick... I think the baby is coming..."