"How in Thor's name do you know who I am?"

After Hiccup almost killed him a few days ago, Dagur knew that Hiccup would eventually come back, looking for answers. He is naturally curious and he won't give up when he has his heart set on something. No matter how corrupted the man became, his most memorable traits still haven't changed.

And Dagur wants to help him. He needs help now more than ever. "I knew you couldn't resist learning who you once were. I knew you would come back. Why do you think I sent my guards away?" Hiccup's forearm around his throat tenses for a moment. Dagur notices the dagger to his throat moves slightly away from his skin.

"How do you know who I am? Don't make me ask again," Hiccup threatens. Dagur can't tell if his silent threat is empty or not. He can't take any chances.

"I want to help you. I really do. But we can't talk here. Those people I was talking to before - do you remember them? - they will come looking for me soon and I don't think they'd take too kindly to the dagger being pressed against my throat." Hiccup hesitates for a moment but he releases Dagur from his headlock, but he leaves the dagger pressed against his neck.

"Where do you suggest we talk then?" Hiccup walks from behind him to face him. Seeing Hiccup again after thinking he has been dead for years is like seeing a ghost. He might as well be seeing a ghost. He hardly recognizes the man before him.

"The forest. Nobody should be in the forest at this time of day." Hiccup narrows his mismatched eyes. Dagur rolls his eyes at Hiccup's display of distrust. Though honestly, Dagur can't really blame him. He doesn't really know what Hiccup had gone through. But whatever happened to him caused him to lose trust in people. People even with humanity.

It's sad really.

"Please, if I was going to hurt you, I could've done it already. And what reason would I have for killing you?" Dagur pauses for a moment. "Well, besides the fact that you almost killed me. Which, by the way, I never thought you would ever have the guts to do. So, are you going to just stand here out in the open where anyone can see you? Or are you going to come with me to get the answers you are looking for?"

Hiccup stands still, thinking. Dagur can almost see the gears turning in his messed up head. However, Dagur really isn't the person to judge someone for that.

Finally, Hiccup lowers his arm. "Fine. Lead the way."

Dagur grins. "Gladly."

-----00-----

They make their way to a secluded area, far from the village. Dagur knows that when the teens realize that he has been gone for far too long, they will come searching for him. And being this far from the village gives Hiccup plenty of time to get back to whatever brought him here and escape.

"So, how do you know me?" Hiccup asks again, dagger still out in the open, ready for anything unexpected.

"Well, first I should say that your father was the chief of the island that you lived on. And we met when your father brought you along to a Peace Treaty signing on my island. Some might say that we didn't get along too well. It may or may not be mostly my fault." Hiccup eyes him as if Dagur might attack him at any moment, but the latter doesn't move. Slowly, Hiccup relaxes into a less tense stance.

"Then why are you helping me know if you obviously hated me as a child?" Dagur winces from the accusation, though he knows that he had that coming for him.

"Well, it was about 5 years ago that we - humans and dragons alike  -  where being threatened by a massive dragon. Your village named it the Red Death. A fitting name really. But there was one scrawny viking from that village. He did the impossible and saved as all." Hiccup only stares at him, waiting for him to continue.

"That boy was you, Hiccup. You defeated the Red Death, even after your people turned on you. But after the Queen was defeated, you went missing and was pronounced dead. However, I can clearly see now that that was not the case."

Hiccup is silent for a moment, but to Dagur's surprise, Hiccup sheaths his dagger and takes a step forward. Dagur doesn't move an inch. "Who were those people you were talking to earlier?"

Dagur knew eventually this would come up. And he knew what he would say when he was leading Hiccup out here. But seeing the look on Hiccup's face now, Dagur forgets it all.

"They were old friends. And they miss you terribly." Hiccup looks away from Dagur, his eyebrows furrowed and a frown taking place on his face.

"Now, before I say anything more, I think it's fair that I ask you something." Dagur waits for Hiccup to look back at him before he asks him the questions that have been gnawing at him since he found out Hiccup was alive. "What happened to you?"

Hiccup doesn't reply, so Dagur can only assume that he is thinking back as far as he can. But Hiccup looks disappointed.

"I... I don't know. I can't remember much. They keep making me forget." That obviously doesn't settle right with Dagur.

"Who is 'they'?" Hiccup doesn't respond and Dagur knows he won't gain anything if he keeps pressing on an open wound. So he tries a different approach.

"Do you remember who Toothless is?" Hiccup furrows his eyebrows, seeming confused.

"Toothless? What kind of name is that?" Dagur chuckles, he had been wanting to ask Hiccup that question for years. He has always wanted to know why he would name a dragon that has always been known as "The offspring of Lightning and Death itself" something so non-threatening as Toothless. And the Night Fury obviously has teeth. So Dagur is at a loss.

"Trust me, I wish I knew. You were always so creative and so imaginative. I'm honestly not surprised that you came up with that name. I always just wanted to know why you did. But obviously, you can't tell me that." Noticing that the slightly lighter mood is now gone, Dagur tries one more thing. "Hiccup, please stay here. I know your friends would be thrilled to know that you are alive. They have been mourning you ever since you disappeared. They tried looking for you for a long time. Your father too, but they never found you. Please, go see them."

But his efforts are futile. Hiccup's face falls and he shakes his head. "No. I can't."

Dagur finally lets his temper rise, but only a little. It finally looks as if Hiccup trusts him, he can't ruin it all now just because Hiccup won't listen. "And why not! They think you are dead! Are you just going to let them think you died saving them? Are you not going to give them closure and show them that you are here and breathing?"

Before, if he didn't try so hard to get Hiccup to not be so tense around him, the dagger might have ended up at his neck again. But Dagur can see Hiccup physically fight off the need to defend himself against Dagur. He can see his hand twitch to were his dagger is strapped to his hip but he doesn't take it out.

"No. I can't. I can't get them involved in this. This is my problem. It seems that I may have already gotten them in danger before, and I barely made it out. So I can't make that mistake again. It's best they think I died from that dragon. This way, none of them will get in the crossfire. And besides, even if I did go and see them, I can only assume that they would try and get me to stay too. And I can't stay any longer than tomorrow morning. The base may be five days away, but I was sent here to find you and take you out. It would've been easy. So I would have no reason to stay any longer than that. And if I don't arrive within a reasonable time then I will be punished for it. So no, I will not go see them. I can't."

He may not want to admit it, but he can see where Hiccup is going with this. But that doesn't mean he won't try and help him. He voices his thoughts.

Hiccup snaps at him though, desperation clear as day in his voice. "No! I will not let any of you sacrifice yourself for me! I got myself into this mess. Now I have to get myself out of it. I refuse to let anyone die because of me." Hiccup lowers his head and sighs. He then looks back up to Dagur and looks him right in the eye, "However, I should thank you for everything you have done for me. I know that telling me more about my past life might not seem that significant, but now I have the proper motivation to go against the chief and his brother. So, thank you, Dagur."

Before Dagur can say anything, Hiccup walks closer to him. "But I need you to promise me something."

Dagur nods. "What it is?"

Hiccup turns his steely gaze to Dagur. "Promise me that you will not tell your friends that I was here. You can't tell them that I am alive." Dagur wants to protest, but Hiccup raises his hand, cutting him off. Dagur never talks kindly to being cut off, but this has been an intense afternoon. "The less they know about me, the less danger they will be in. You were my target before because you allied yourself and your tribe with Stoick the Vast. And the chief thought that anyone who is an ally with him is a threat. And then when you found out who I was, that made you even more of a threat. You are in danger now that you know who I am and that I have spared you twice already. So please, in the name of Thor, do not tell them about me. You have to understand that I am trying to protect them."

Dagur hates this. But everything Hiccup says is making sense. Even though Hiccup shouldn't be doing any of this alone, he knows that he is doing this in the name of his friends. Though now he isn't too sure as to what he will tell them. Hiccup made it very clear that the best course of action is to keep this all quiet. And when this all goes downhill, and they all realized that Dagur has withheld this information, the teens will not be very happy with him.

Especially Astrid. He knows how much Hiccup means to her. When she finds out, there is a very high probability that she punches him in the face for lying to her. And he has been on the receiving end of her punches more times then he would like to admit.

Reluctantly, Dagur nods. Hiccup lets out a breath of relief, "Thank you again, Dagur. For everything." And with that, Hiccup disappears into the tree line.

Dagur stares at the spot where Hiccup disappeared, processing everything that had happened and what is to happen. With Hiccup not wanting him to tell his friends that he is alive causes an issue for Dagur. And he can't go back on his word. He just got Hiccup to trust him. The trust may be weak and very fragile, but it's there. Dagur can't break that trust. Everything from here on out determines what will happen to Hiccup when this is all over.

And it all begins with what he is to tell his friends. Dagur sighs, and he starts making his way back to the village.

Hidden in the trees, prying eyes watch the chief leave. The hidden man smirks. He looks over to his dragon, giving a silent command. The dragons growl and fly off into the darkening sky.