Peter Mercier and the Hunters of Artemis

Chapter 7

"So you're telling me," Eret clarified, standing with his arms crossed on his bustling ship, the few other crewmen paying Hiccup and them no mind as they tended to the sails.

The trees around the dock swayed in the wind, their greens and grays and browns illuminated by the sunlight. Hazy clouds hovered overhead, their grey linings turned a shade of pink. "You want me to divert my usual course, unpaid, just so you can go try and reason with some assassins? Does Astrid know you're doing this?"

"She'll be staying here," Hiccup replied, looking displeased. He held a heavy chest of gold under his right arm, a short sword in a sheath on his waist. "And as far as anyone else knows, we're going on a fishing trip to Old Berk."

"It's called Aska now, first of all," Eret pinched his nose. "And secondly, you're lucky trade's been slow lately. I've hardly been making a return investment these past two trips thanks to that Henrique guy you offed. He was one of the lead suppliers of, well, everything."

"You know he tried to kill us, right?" Peter reminded, covering his face from the sun. He was more awake now, but still as grumpy and even less patient. "He killed my uncle and kept me as his personal slave for five years to fund his evil plan to commit mass genocide against an entire species. And now his friends are trying to hunt us down. So, I'd like to go on record and say I don't give a damn about what 'return investment' you get, this is more important, Eret."

Eret frowned. "Since when did you become chief?" he scoffed. Peter rolled his eyes, while Hiccup cleared his throat, still unamused. "I'm chief," he reminded, stepping in front of Peter. "Which is why I came to you. Everyone knows your ship is the fastest."

"Is that so?" Eret laughed. Amber, overhearing as she ascended the stairs from the brig, chimed in. Her fur coat around her, she walked up behind Eret. "Of course," she embellished, leaning on the mast. "Even I knew."

"Well, fine," he decided. "I suppose I should get around more anyway. The crew could use a change of scenery, too."

Hiccup smirked, raising an eyebrow. Eret chuckled. "Oh, fine, I'm all for a little adventure. Weigh the anchors!"

And so, after an hour or so of preparation, they set off. The wind was on their side, and soon they were far from the village.

"I'm glad to get out of this cold," Amber admitted, standing at the back of the ship next to the rudder. She watched as the island of New Berk disappear into the distance, the breeze whipping the tail of her half-buttoned coat as she leaned on the railing. Patches of her sunburnt skin peeked out as the fur swayed and fluttered. "It's the sun I'm worried about."

Peter chuckled. "You get used to it," he assured, moving to stand beside her. "It'll be a while before it gets warmer, though. And we're coming back after, anyway."

"Way to kill the mood," Amber sighed, smiling. "I'm surprised you aren't cold, dressed all skimpy like that."

"It's not skimpy, it's just light," he corrected, his white linen shirt also getting tossed about by the wind. "You can go below if it's that much of an issue."

"No thanks," she replied, watching the clouds drift haphazardly overhead across the blue sky. "I'll survive. I like the view."

"I'm sure you do," he joked. "Judging by the sunburn on your neck, I'd say you and the view are pretty good friends. You really shouldn't be out here like this, we don't have a shaman on the boat as far as I'm aware."

"I'd rather be sunburnt than bored, Mr. Mercier," she insisted. "How about you go and check the ship, in case we have another stowaway?"

"Only if you stop bringing it up," he turned around, starting to walk towards the stairs to the belly of the ship, an open trapdoor open letting sunlight in. He spotted Hiccup at the front of the ship as he went, talking to Eret about something he couldn't make out. "And stop calling me that."