Snotlout and the others stood stock still as they stared disbelievingly at the Queen, her companion, and the dragon wagging its tail.

"What in hell just happened?" Snotlout muttered as they watched the Queen approach the knight commander.

"Let's see. We were put under a spell, found the Queen, got attacked by chickens, ran away from a large party of Iliestian knights, saw a dragon being summoned, saw a dragon being bribed, and are now watching said dragon wagging its tail while acting cute." Tuffnut summed up which earned him an eyeroll from the others.

Meanwhile Astrid had approached the commander who while dazed had managed to sit up partially. He looked up and saw the shape the Dark Queen towering over him.

"Where are my knights?" Astrid asked as she glared at the commander.

"I don't know" The man said but was slammed back into the tree by Astrid's foot.

"Do not lie to me." Astrid hissed. "You mentioned my knights before and you shall tell me all you know."

"Screw you wench!" The commander wheezed as Astrid dealt him a blow to the face.

"Should we not stop her?" Fishlegs timidly asked.

"Stay out of it." Hiccup told the others. "This is her personal business."

"But......But... " Fishlegs was about to protest again when the sound of a slap rang through the clearing.

The others had all drawn their weapons as they would not tolerate someone being beaten like that when they were snatched up off of the ground by tree vines. Looking towards the Queen they saw that she had send her magic in their direction without even looking back.

"This is so humiliating." Snotlout muttered as he dangled upside down.

"Aahg" The commander shouted as Astrid let some of the magic she had left crackle over him. "I only know that they were taken to the Prison of Sigisva!" The commander finally said and Astrid stepped away from the quivering man.

"That's in Briningion." Hiccup mumbled. "Why would Thellonian knights bring them to another kingdom. It doesn't add up."

"It does if there were more people responsible for that ambush." Astrid stated. "The knights that followed me were only a small number compared to those who ambushed us."

"So Thellone and Briningion might have plotted this together." Hiccup stated as he looked pensive. "It's a known fact that those two kings have a not so pleasant relationship."

Astrid nodded and then passed the group heading for the two sisters who had begun to stir not so long ago. "We can leave once I take care of them, and Hiccup could you please put on your tunic?"

Hiccup through all the commotion had completely forgotten that he was shirtless. Looking around the clearing he spotted his tunic on the ground and hastily put it on much to the annoyance of Ruffnut who was not so subtly looking him over.

"Dark ones killing Dark ones. Who would have thought." Snotlout muttered as he swayed to and fro from the vine.

Astrid stopped then turned to Snotlout. "You seem to be mistaken. They are not Dark ones, and I never said anything about killing them."

"If they don't wield dark magic then what are they?" Fishlegs asked as curiosity took over.

"From the spells that they used, I would guess mid-level clerics." Astrid stated as she came to stand over the sisters.

"Clerics!" They all shouted looking wide-eyed.

"It's more like partial clerics." Astrid admitted as she saw Camilla's eyes widen. Melissa had scooted back and was trying to shield her sister.

"How can there be such a thing as partial clerics?" Ruffnut asked as she stopped struggling to look at the scene with interest.

"I have never even heard of such things." Fishlegs admitted.

"That is because you are still a low level cleric and have not been admitted much liberty in the Halls of Knowledge I would venture to guess."

Fishlegs looked a bit sad but did nod at Astrid's statement.

"Do not touch us." Camilla growled at Astrid who looked on impassively.

"You have two choices." Astrid said. "You could die a painful death by your own magic or you could allow me to undo the bond."

The sisters had gone quiet after Astrid spoke and it was Tuffnut who broke the silence.

"Eh...... Your Highness." Tuffnut said. "Don't mind us dangling here but could you maybe clarify?"

Astrid looked back at those she had trapped with the vines and sighed. "Cleric, let no one know about what I will share with you. All of you could be put to death for this information."

The party gulped while looking a bit nervous now but Fishlegs nodded.

"Those becoming clerics undergo a ritual designed by Sielihah, binding their magic to a set of principles. What you clerics learn is that this ritual cannot be reversed but that isn't entirely true." Astrid explained as she took in Fishlegs' shocked reaction.

"Over the centuries the clerics had amassed knowledge on every type of magic which they placed in the Halls of Knowledge. Clerics of different levels have access to different amounts of these scriptures. There is a purging ritual which can undo the bond and that is what I am guessing you sisters used."

Both Camilla and Melissa reluctantly nodded.

"But...But..why? Why would anyone want to stop being a cleric?" Fishlegs asked aghast.

"Why would one want to be one in the first place." Camilla spat out with so much venom. "We were taken from our homes when we were only small girls and forced into the ritual. The Iliestan King forces anyone with magic to undergo that damned ritual!"

"We did not want to but we bought our time and acted like obedient disciples, all the while searching for a way to undo this." Melissa admitted.

"And you found the ritual but messed it up." Astrid stated. "It would not be a surprise. That ritual is classified as dark magic and the pain from the bond as you performed it would have been immense."

"But why were we being enchanted?" Snotlout now asked.

"Because they needed your life-force to stay alive." Astrid said and then continued to explain. "The ritual is effective but it has side-effects if it is not done properly. My guess is that the bond was half undone and the magic it freed began to feed on your life, so you both set up this perception field in the forest to lure unsuspecting travelers and drain their life-force."

Both Camilla and Melissa looked ashamed but nodded nonetheless. "My sister and I spend so much time trying to get free. I know what we did was wrong but all we wanted to do was live our lives for once." Melissa admitted.

"Can you really undo these chains?" Camilla asked hesitantly. "If so then we would more than willingly atone for those which we drained."

Astrid pursed her lips but nodded. She looked back to Hiccup who along with the dragon was watching in interest. "Hiccup, I might need you to carry me for a while afterwards." Astrid admitted as she began chanting and gripped both of the sisters' shoulders.

"This isn't the ritual we did!" Camilla exclaimed before she had to bite her lip as magic coursed through her. Melissa was clutching the ground having gone still.

The clearing was being filled with magic and the group hanging from the vines as well as Hiccup who was watching a little worried saw symbols start to glow on the sisters' arms and neck. The symbols suddenly vanished as did all the magical energy.

Once the magic was gone Astrid fell to her knees and then backwards on the ground. Hiccup rushed to her and let out a relieved sigh when he saw that she had just lost consciousness. Both Camilla and Melissa were still shaking but they were conscious.

"She used the last of her reserved magic on us." Camilla stated as she watched Hiccup pick Astrid up bridal style. She gave her sister a look who also nodded. Both looked to Hiccup then. "Once she wakes up can you tell her that we will not squander this gift she has given us and that we are truly sorry for all that we had done."

Hiccup nodded and then turned towards the dragon who tilted its head sideways. "Can you give us a lift? I'll throw in another basket of fish for you."

The dragon happily warbled and snatched up Hiccup, who was now tightly holding onto Astrid, in its paws before taking to the sky. "This isn't exactly what I meant!!" Hiccup shouted as the ground got further away and the dragon let out a snort of amusement.

"Eh...... I think they forgot about us." Tuffnut said as he still dangled from the vines while Snotlout started to grumble.

The sisters looked at each other once again and then got up to free the four in the tree.