nine

SOMETHING WAS CHANGING. Alora knew it wasn't for the better. And she couldn't help but feel that it had to do something with Hiccup. Because, as always, trouble followed him wherever he went.

I hate it when I'm right.

Alora stared at the wanted poster in front of her.

"Viggo put a price on Hiccup's head?! Oh, man!" Snotlout exclaimed. "Every bounty hunter from here to the Archipelago is going to be looking for you!"

Alora smacked the boy upright in the back of his head.

"No shit!"

"I wonder if Viggo's paying the bounty with Berk's gold," Fishlegs said.

"That much irony should be illegal, let me see this," Tuffnut said, taking the paper from her. "Why isn't there any mention of us?!"

"Oh gods," she mumbled as the twins planned to place a bounty on themselves.

"Enough with the bounty! What's mine is yours. We have other things to worry about!"

"I hate to say it," Heather said, "but it might be a good idea to lie low for a while. Just until this cools off."

"M'lady is right," Alora said, facing herself towards the skinny viking.

"No way! I'll be playing right into Viggo's hands!"

"You're not seriously thinking about going to the party, right?"

"It's Berk's 400 year anniversary! Do you know what my dad would do to me if I missed it?"

"Okay! I volunteer to ride Toothless for the time being!" Alora chimed in.

"Sit down," Astrid told her. Alora shut her mouth and obeyed.

"Oh my Thor, he's going to nail you down for losing all of Berk's gold!" Snotlout said, laughing.

"We're not kids anymore, Snotlout. He's not gonna 'nail me'!"

Everyone was concerned about Hiccup attending the party, but of course the golden boy "had everything under control". So as they were getting ready to take off, Alora felt the need to double-check with him one more time.

"Look your highness, I love a good party just as much as everyone else, but are you sure about going to Berk?"

Hiccup glared at her.

"Toothless, Hiccup is being mean to me!"

"Did you seriously just rat me out to my dragon?"

Toothless walked up towards them and allowed Alora to climb on top. She waited for Hiccup to slide in front of her, before placing her hands around his waist.

"One of these days Toothless, you and I will take a test drive," Alora whispered. "And I won't have to always hold Hiccup's skinny waist."

"I heard that!"

"I know!"

⬩⬩⬩⬩⬩⬩⧌⬩⬩⬩⬩⬩⬩

When they arrived, she could feel Hiccup's body tense as they saw his dad in their view. Alora hoped that some of the gold she recovered would be enough for Stoick to ease off of him. He slid off of Toothless and Alora waited back, petting the dragon out of discomfort. But Toothless was just as scared as his best friend.

It was like those two shared a mind and soul. So when one acted stupid, the other one did too.

"How's life in the Great Beyond, son?"

Toothless eased up, but Alora tensed as she heard Snotlout's footsteps appear behind her. She could tell Hiccup wasn't as nervous anymore. So she grabbed Snotlout by the arm and tossed him in the back.

"Shut up and don't say anything," she threatened.

"Alright! Okay, jeez!" he said, rubbing his arm.

She watched as the father and son caught up. But she was shocked that Hiccup himself said nothing about the news they were informed of earlier.

"Why didn't you tell him about the bounty?" she whispered.

"Because. . . He has enough to deal with right now."

Alora sighed.

∾

Night approached and Alora was wearing paint on her face, since it was custom to do so on the anniversary parties. Alora loved learning about Berk's interesting past and culture. She loved seeing her friends perform for the village as they rode on the backs of their dragons.

She watched as Toothless flew above them. Hiccup looked down and smiled at her. As he looked at her, he noticed something he hadn't seen before.

A genuine smile. And her eyes, they had. . . Was that admiration? Pride? Was she proud of being friends with him?

Was that seriously what you thought?

Well it was dark and I couldn't really see. So what was it?

*scoff* Nevermind.

No! W-What. What was it?!

Alora looked up at her (what she thought to be) best friends with happiness glistening in her eyes as she watched the duo fly by her.

. . . Oh.

You id- dummy.

Nice save.

Thank you.

When the show ended, she saw Hiccup wandering towards the Great Hall. She followed him inside and she could see he was fidgeting with his fingers, so Alora knew something was up.

"Spill," she said, sitting in front of him.

"Fine. I admit it," Hiccup said. "Living with a bounty on my head is more stressful than I thought. First Viggo gets our gold, now this. . . I just think I should—"

Alora scooted closer to him and placed a hand on top of his. At first Hiccup wasn't sure how to react. But then again, she didn't really give him time to.

"Tell Stoick," she said. "He's the King, the Chief, your dad."

"No," he said. "He told me that, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"."

"Hiccup. . ."

She felt his hand slip from under hers.

"Goodnight Aly, I'll see you in the morning."

She watched his back as he walked away from her. Then, she herself retreated back towards the house where she was bunking with Astrid.

later that night

"Hiccup!"

Alora shot out of bed, not giving time for Astrid to react. As she ran out, she saw Stoick and Toothless.

"Chief, what's wrong?" she asked, running towards him.

"Have you seen Hiccup?"

"N-No. Last I talked to him it was in the Great Hall."

She looked at Toothless, determination written all over her face.

That was how Alora found herself riding on the back of Toothless (along with Hiccup's dad).

So I got my test drive, just. . .not in the way I expected it.

"The bounty hunters should be heading in this direction," Fishlegs said, pointing forward.

Toothless growled.

"It'll be okay bud," Alora said. "We're going to do everything in our power to find him."

"Why wouldn't he tell me about the bounty? It's because of what I said, isn't it?" Stoick said.

"He's Hiccup! He's the Prince!" Alora yelled. "Sometimes his royal stubbornness and pride is bigger than his brain!"

Astrid could tell she was frustrated. She figured it must've been something he told her before he was captured last night.

"What is she talking about?" Stoick asked, confused.

Just then, she noticed a ship straight ahead.

"Sir, I'd suggest you hold on tight!"

"Wait, Aly!" Heather yelled.

Alora slid her foot into the metal contraption and did what she saw Hiccup do millions of times.

"Dive Toothless!"

The dragon roared and pulled its wings closer to its body as it went straight towards the ship. She undid her actions in the gear and allowed Toothless to land as gently as he could. Alora quickly slid off and took the dagger she hid in her shirt out.

"I want this ship thoroughly searched! Rip off planks and turn every stone if you have to!" she yelled, taking control.

Stoick looked at her in shock and glanced back at the riders that were landing. Astrid shook her shoulders and yelled, "You heard the woman!"

Uh, that's not how I remembered it.

Hush Astrid, I'm telling a story.

But no matter how thoroughly they searched, Hiccup was nowhere to be found. Toothless let out a rumble and Alora slid the dagger back in place, before patting the dragon's head to comfort him.

"Don't worry buddy. We're going to find him."

Stoick had found two men who were thrown overboard. He interrogated them (he lifted them up in the air by their collars) and found that he was being held hostage by a man named Savage. Then, when he was done with them he threw them back overboard.

Alora and Stoick took off on Toothless once again in hopes that they were closer to finding the one-legged viking.

But it seemed that their last resort was asking the last man who took him where the other man was taking him. Alora felt like Hiccup was a rag doll, being thrown Thor knows where.

As they headed for the location (where they supposedly had Hiccup), Alora noticed something from far away.

She knew that skinny figure anywhere.

"Okay Toothless, light 'em up!"

The dragon happily obeyed as it shot the men. She watched as Ryker punched Hiccup in the gut and tossed him over his shoulder.

"Toothless go after him! Everyone else, take care of the rest of the men!"

She flew after Hiccup and trailed behind him.

"Sir, I'm going to do something really crazy and when I do I need you to take over the reins!"

"What exactly are you going to do?!" Stoick asked.

"I'm gonna pull a Heather!"

She took her dagger out and allowed Toothless to take a warning shot at the man. He stumbled and Hiccup fell to the side.

She jumped and tackled the man to the ground, causing him to punch her in the jaw.

Toothless immediately went to protect her and shot off all his armor. But Stoick told the dragon to back off and watched as Alora ran to Hiccup's aid.

"Hiccup?"

Hiccup groaned and looked up at her.

"You look like crap," he muttered.

She laughed and turned to see Toothless running towards them. She also saw an angry Stoick holding up Ryker by his collar.

Toothless licked Hiccup, overjoyed that they were reunited. She saw that his metal leg was gone.

"Are you okay?"

"Never better," he said. "Let's just go home."

She placed his arm over her shoulders and helped him up. Then they heard a loud knocking sound. It was a mystery man that Alora didn't recognize. He had a scar over his eye and what appeared to be a purple cape.

Gods I hated this man.

He'd thrown Hiccup's metal leg at Ryker and knocked him out.

Alora stood up straighter and got a more protective hold on Hiccup. He looked around and noticed that all the dragon hunters had gathered. He smirked and jumped back off of the ledge.

"What the fuck?" she whispered.

They walked (well Hiccup hopped) to the ledge only to find that the man was gone.

When all was said and done, Alora rode with Astrid to give the Haddock men some privacy. She decided to lay her head on Astrid's back to rest. But Astrid had a few questions on her mind.

"I don't think I've ever seen you like this before."

"Like what?"

"Taking charge. Being overprotective. It was like you were a whole different person."

"Stress does that to ya."

"I don't think that was stress."

Alora didn't say anything else. Instead she put her hands around the blonde's waist and closed her eyes in hopes of a good nap.

"And by the way, Hiccup isn't going to be happy with the fact that you rode Toothless."

"What he doesn't know won't kill him."

Of course I knew you rode Toothless!

How?!

He told me.

. . . HOW?!

But Alora couldn't help but ponder what exactly Astrid's words meant.