Isaac Letchford reads a tense scene from How To Be A Pirate where Alvin forces Hiccup at knifepoint to open a booby-trapped door revealing a cavern of gold and treasure. Alvin hesitates between greed and keeping his promise, hinting at betrayal.
Chapters
You are the true heir to the Hairy Hooligans, Hiccup, said Alvin. And so only you can open this door and live. But I don't want to open this door, said Hiccup. If you give me enough time, I'm sure I can get us out of here without opening it. What about the booby traps? You open Grimsbyard's coffin and you lose your right hand. We open Grimsbyard's treasure chest and it triggers a smell that wakes up the scullions. I know that if we open this door, something really unpleasant is going to happen. Sure as fish eggs are fish eggs. And the surprises are getting worse, if anything. I forgot to mention, said Alvin silkily. If you do not open this door, you die. He pressed the storm blade forward a bit so that it pierced the skin just above Hiccup's heart. Let me get this straight, said Hiccup. If I do open this door, you won't kill me or my friends? I promise. Yes, said Alvin. Word of a treacherous. Word of a treacherous, groaned Fishlegs. It really— it says it all, really. He'll kill you as soon as he has the treasure. If there is any treasure behind the door. But otherwise he's going to kill us now, Hiccup pointed out. I haven't got a lot of choice. Hiccup leaned forward, biting his lip, and slid the heavy iron bolt to the left. Not a good idea! Not a good idea! Not a good idea! repeated Fishlegs and Toothless to themselves, closing their eyes. Hiccup slowly opened the door. Crrrreeeeak! Alvin, Fishlegs, Hiccup, and Toothless stood there, their mouths flopping open and shut like fish in their astonishment. The door had opened onto another gigantic cavern. This was filled to the brim with more treasure than you could possibly imagine in your wildest dreams, even were you as greedy as Alvim himself. So indescribably beautiful was this treasure that it drew them into the room Like a magnet. It was all piled up on top of itself in crazy giant mountains. Mound after mound of golden coins with Caesars stamped on one side and Chin on the other. Heap after heap of rupees fat and ripe as scallops and emeralds green as a mermaid's eye. Gorgeous silver cups with seahorses galloping delicately around them and golden necklaces plump as oysters and swords as sharp as the conger's tooth with octopus tentacles winding themselves around the hilt. It was the sort of treasure you could get lost in and forget yourself and your mind and this world at all. Oh my, breathed Alvin the Treacherous, stepping forward. Oh my, my, my. And he reached out to grasp a cup, a glorious golden goblet, perfectly round in shape, with dolphins playing around the rim, so beautifully carved that it looked as if they were alive and leaping in a miniature golden sea. Toothless, Hiccup, and Fishlegs recollected where they were. And slowly backed towards the open door while Alvin was so preoccupied. But Alvin caught a glimpse of them out of the corner of his eye, and he stretched out and shut the door with the point of the Stormblade. Nobody leaves this cavern without asking Alvin, he said. Now, Alvin, said Hiccup nervously, remember you promised— If I open the door, you said you'd let us all live. Yes, said Alvin, considering the cup again and then dropping it softly back on the pile. The thing is, outcasts don't always keep promises to other people. I blame our upbringing. My mother never really loved me, you know. But I always keep promises I make to myself. As long— and long ago, when that coffin lid snapped down and chopped off my hand, I made myself a solemn promise. Alvin's pleasant eyes narrowed, and he sidled towards Hiccup like a predatory crab.
