NINETEEN: Old Friends
Hiccup was on edge when he should be at his most happy, for he was-finally-back in the air on Toothless's back. The dragon was crooning in excitement and stretching his wings more than he would usually, forcing his companions to exert themselves to try to keep up.
"Slow down!" Dagur called, feeling Sleuther strain to match the Night Fury and reluctantly, Hiccup reined Toothless back, gently stroking the flattened head to reassure the dragon that he was overjoyed to be back on his back again. He glanced over to his right and saw Heather concentrating on scanning the horizon for ships, her hood and scarf concealing her face and he mused on how long she had lived alone, consumed by anger and a thirst for vengeance. It was Astrid who had helped her reconnect, the similarities between the two women forging a powerful bond that meant Astrid was even willing to lie to him to help her. It was same bond he had with Toothless.
"You okay?' he called to her and she looked up.
"I guess...seeing you and Toothless so badly hurt has just made me worry what could have happened to Astrid," she called over, her voice concerned. "And these hunters are vicious." His mind slid back to Garff and he shuddered.
"They're maybe even worse than Viggo was," he admitted as Toothless gave another couple of wingbeats. "But I have no idea what they are after..."
"SHIPS!" Dagur yelled and Hiccup glanced in the direction he was pointing...then banked Toothless to land on a sea-stack overlooking the vessels. They landed and Hiccup leapt from the saddle, shifting to the edge of the sea-stack and crouching down whipping out a spyglass and scanning the vessels. And then he felt anxiety crawl down his spine...for he recognised the ship. Thor knew, he had spent long enough from his cage staring at the masts and sails, at the device on the canvas that flapped in the breeze. As he watched, the familiar menacing shape of the Captain strode across the deck, gesturing brusquely to the crew to tack to port and close on a trio of vessels that were floating in a sheltered cove. Hiccup stared and his eyes widened in shock-for standing in the centre of the deck of the other ship was the masked Viking.
He drew back, lowering the spy glass and breathing hard. Dagur crawled alongside him.
"These them?" he asked and Hiccup nodded.
"He was the one...who took me to Ryker," he mumbled quietly. "He took out Throk and hit me with one of those darts. The Hunters had them as well..." He paused. "And he was going to hand me to Ryker but he stupidly tried to double-cross him so he hauled me away. He used a chain like a leash. He...jumped me and we fell over a cliff. He was hanging onto my leg...and when my hands were slipping, I had to make a decision." He swallowed. "I untied my leg and let it-and him-drop. I thought I had killed him."
"But you hadn't," Heather reminded him and there was a pause. His shoulders sagged.
"I was willing to," he admitted in a shamed voice. "But for him to be able to survive that fall-I mean, he was fighting off all of Ryker's men solo-and winning...he's a one man army." Dagur leaned forward and fixed the man in his memory.
"I never saw him with Ryker-but he may have dealt with Viggo," he murmured.
"I think he was at the dragon auction as well..." Hiccup added with a frown. Then he froze as another figure walked onto the deck-a very familiar shape that had Hiccup freezing with shock. The neat, short dark brown hair and manicured beard were horribly familiar-though the puckered scarring on the left of his face and the whitened left eye were shocking. He stared. "Viggo," he said.
The Berserker siblings stared at him and then peered further down at the ship, spotting the altered shape with shock. Heather frowned.
"Something is going on," she said, voicing everyone's thoughts. "Why is he here-with the man who kidnapped you, Hiccup? What is the connection to the people who captured and tortured you? And why is Viggo so far south, talking to someone with no dragons to sell?" Breathing hard, the young rider never took his eyes from the scarred shape and sighed.
"We have to find out," he sighed. "Because whatever he's planning, it's bad news."
oOo
It had been hard leaving Sniffling when the weather broke. And though she had planned to take her leave discreetly, she had been touched when Chief Kjetil, Hjordis and half the villagers came out to wish her well. There was genuine sorrow that she was leaving and many of the villagers had gifts for her to take on her journey. There were many furs and skins, clothes for the baby, clothes for her, herbs and food so Stormfly was heavily laden when she was finally ready to go. She had hugged the Chief and Hjordis, resting the older woman's hand over her bump and allowing her friend to feel the child kick her hand one last time.
"I'm going to miss you," Hjordis said tearfully. "I promised I would be there with you." Astrid blinked, her eyes shining with emotion and gave a small smile.
"We both know why I can't stay," she said calmly. "But thank you. You have been like a sister and if there is any way I can come by after I've had Thumper, I will do. You deserve to meet him." Hugging her fiercely, the older woman had managed a wan smile.
"I'll hold you to that," she sniffed as Astrid mounted up, still agile despite her pregnancy and she had pulled up her fur-lined hood and made sure the fur-lined jacket was fastened round her body.
"Okay, girl-let's go," she said with a smile and they headed up into the cold sky, casting a last look at the little village receding beneath them and the waving villagers...mixed with a few who looked downright pleased she was leaving.
They headed west because Kjetil said there was a village-Stippling-a few islands over that was likely to offer her a place to stay. In fact, he had sent a messenger ahead in the hope of securing her his protection and she was very grateful for the kindness. But for the moment, she was just happy to be flying, free and unworried, on Stormfly with all her cares behind her. The cold air rushed over her face, wisps of hair flying free as she they raced through the sky, diving and spinning, enjoying the freedom and the cold, clear skies. Stormfly was relishing the chance to stretch her wings, flipping and doing all the tricks she and her rider used to do when they first learned to fly together and for an hour, Astrid forgot she was pregnant and alone and could just be Stormfly's Rider.
But finally, she adjusted her direction by the sun and they headed for the nearest island, desperate for a rest and something to eat...and also to empty her bladder. She sighed: she had been able to ride for hours without any fuss but now, her bladder seemed to have shrunk to the size of a pea which her baby insisted on bouncing on. The nearest land was a moderate-sized island with dense spruce forest and small clearings. After circling carefully, they arrowed down into a small clearing by a clear stream and landed and Astrid dashed into the bushes just beyond the tree line, gratefully relieving herself before she headed back to the stream and filled her canteens. It didn't take long to gather dead wood and have the Nadder light a small fire to warm herself-and when Stormfly delivered her a pair of trout, she gratefully fed one to the dragon and gutted then spitted the other for herself.
But she was soon up, gathering kindling for her packs while she had the chance as her fish cooked and she walked back and forth, finding herself stiffening up after so long in the saddle. Quietly, she stood, leaning against Stormfly, who was resting, her hand splayed on her stomach, feeling the baby fidget.
"It will be okay," she murmured softly. "Your Momma loves you-and so does your father, even though he is not permitted to be here." She sighed and felt a small jab under her palm. "Yes-I really wish he was here right now." Then she sighed as she smelled the mouth-watering scents of cooking fish. "Now lets get some lunch, baby, and find someone who can offer us a home."
oOo
Heather and Dagur promised to follow the Captain while Hiccup volunteered to shadow the ship with the masked bounty hunter and Viggo, because he wouldn't risk Toothless again near the man who had tortured his dragon. The fact that the prospect of facing the man made his stomach churn with anxiety was something he chose not to share with anyone-except Toothless-and he felt like a coward for fearing him-but in fact, both ships sailed in convoy, heading south. The dragon riders hung back, tailing them amor the clouds to a flat grey island with low hills, scanty forests and a large settlement with multiple moorings and what appeared to be warehouses, shops and taverns.
The trio landed a mile outside the settlement and left the dragons concealed before they made their way in, partially disguised by cloaks and hoods. Astonishingly, Hiccup was able to fit into Heather's spare hood and cloak and he had to carefully control himself as they walked into the market, pulling his shoulders back to appear more confident-though his hand was never far from the knife in his belt. They split up by mutual agreement and began to wander the markets, casually browsing wares and listening to conversations. Hiccup was on edge, his head bowed and face shadowed by the hood as he idly turned over some knives on a weapons stall, his professional eye picking out imperfections and weaknesses in the blade. And then he froze as he heard a horribly familiar voice.
"So what did you wish to discuss without your colleague?" the Captain demanded, his cold, cruel voice running chills down the listening Hiccup's spine. Surreptitiously, the young Viking half-turned, ostensibly to inspect a mace but in reality to observe the men from the corner of his eye. "I presume it relates to the contracts..." There was a low, rasping chuckle and the masked man nodded.
"If I were just interested in the cargo you provide, I would already have slaughtered you for your failure as a dragon hunter," he sneered. "Viggo seems less discerning than I in that respect."
"Or perhaps he had more insight into the unpredictability of the job of a dragon hunter," the Captain retorted coolly as the masked Viking sneered.
"Weakness," he condemned the man. "So the other mission? Have you heard anything of the King of Dragons?" The Captain shook his head.
"No," he admitted. "Though the Rider I captured was very stuborn. Had I kept him longer I could have..."
"Dragon Rider?' the masked Viking said, leaning forward, a tanned hand grabbing the Captain's arm. "What Dragon Rider?"
"Calm yourself, Krogan!" the Captain said patronisingly. "It was just a skinny kid who we shot down. He clearly knew something about dragons but he was remarkably stubborn in sharing anything with us about where he was from, if there were any others..."
"Oh, there are," the masked Viking-Krogan-said angrily. "Describe the dragon!"
"A Night Fury," the Captain sneered. "Worthless because it was missing part of the tail and..."
"Hiccup Haddock," Krogan growled. "The leader of the Dragon Riders. Where is he?" The Captain paused.
"He escaped," he had to admit. "He was more than half dead after a month of being interrogated..."
"You had him a month?" Krogan growled, his tone so chilling that Hiccup turned his head away, remembering to rotate the mace to inspect the finish. "In that time, I would have broken him utterly and everything he had would be mine-his knowledge, his dragon...and his DragonEye lenses..."
"His what?" Hiccup stiffened and rested the mace down, lifting an axe.
"Small hexagonal pieces of flat crystal, edged by metal or wood," Krogan explained, demonstrating the size. "They are keys to finding the King of Dragons. I need them..." He paused. "The boy stole them from me." There was a pause.
"To be honest, we didn't search his packs, we just dumped them...because he was far more diverting," he said cruelly. "He took them when he escaped."
"FOOL!" Krogan snapped. "We have retrieved the device and we need those lenses to get the prize. My master demands the King and those that fail him die. I should kill you..."
"You're willing to try..." the Captain sneered.
"But you still have use," Krogan snapped. "Find that boy and strip everything of value from him. I want those lenses!" And then he turned and marched away. Hiccup stiffened as the scar-faced mate sidled up to his Captain.
"Your orders?" he said respectfully, able to see that the Captain was furious.
"Ask around about the boy-I want him back and I am going to break him!" he raged. "And then get the crew. Captain Hedges has had his ship attacked and driven off by a dragon rider on Sniffling. That seems a good place to start to look for the boy..." Nodding, Hiccup rested the axe down and sidled over to the next stall, carefully inspecting the crystals and gather a selection of different coloured gems that he knew were necessary for his project-a second DragonEye that suddenly seemed all the more vital now he knew that the original device hadn't been destroyed and was vital for Krogan and Viggo.
And then he stiffened and dipped his head, carefully paying the merchant and pocketing his purchases-before he saw a silver pendant with carved runes and a topaz in the centre. He leaned over as he heard another familiar voice.
"Any news?"
He hazarded a glance and glimpsed a familiar shape with the bright tunic, floppy brown cap and striped pants leaning close to Krogan. Eyes widened in the shadows of the hood as Hiccup recognised...Trader Johann? He dipped his head and his hand closed instinctively on the pendant.
"That idiot Captain had Hiccup Haddock in his grasp but he let him escape!" Krogan growled. There was a pause as Hiccup couldn't believe his ears. There was a pause.
"Incompetent," Johann condemned the man, his voice hard. "You have no idea how meddling and troublesome that boy can be. If I hadn't needed to maintain my cover, I would have gutted him years ago..."
"A shame you didn't," Krogan commented smoothly. "Now he's at large and a danger to our plans."
"We need the key lens-and I am now certain one of the Berserker siblings has it in his possession," Johann said coldly. "And Viggo has suggested we require lenses from all five dragon classes which will show us the location of the King of Dragons..."
"My dragon fliers will search every island for lenses," Krogan promised as the Trader chuckled darkly.
"I can visit our young friends on Dragon's Edge and see if I can relieve 'Master Hiccup' of his lenses," he said smugly. "None of them will suspect me...and if they do..." He jerked his wrist and a hidden dagger snapped out of a sheath concealed up his sleeves. Hiccup started. Johann smiled. "Proceed, Krogan. And don't fail me!"
"Don't fail me..." The words rolled round Hiccup's head as he aimlessly paid for the pendant and stumbled through the market, seeking the last couple of crystals he needed to finish his DragonEye. There was only one meaning: Krogan worked for him. Johann was the one behind...everything. The injuries to Garff, the disappearance of the older Deathsong...all Johann? And if he was behind those, then he was an enemy of Berk.
And his father had no idea.
He was so discomposed that he ran straight into another shopper and he automatically looked up-straight into Johann's eyes.
"Master Hiccup!" The voice was altered, now obsequious and slightly grating as the young Dragon Rider backed up.
"J-Johann?' he mumbled, eyes wide with shock before he lifted a finger to his mouth. "Shhh..."
"Why, this is a long way from home indeed, Master Hiccup," the Trader said loudly, ignoring the warning. "What are you doing here?" Consciously not withdrawing from the man he knew was a traitor and an enemy, Hiccup gave an embarrassed smile.
"I'm looking for Astrid," he admitted. "We had an...altercation and she left. I left Berk to be with her."
"So the good Chief Stoick is displeased with you?" Johann probed with apparent sympathy.
"I'm exiled," Hiccup explained. Johann shook his head, his eyes narrowing in thought.
"I'm certain you are looking for support and I am always a friend to you, Master Hiccup," the man said insincerely. "You could come with me and we could sail island to island to search for your lost paramour..."
And hand me straight over to Krogan or the Captain and then...well, the rest of my life will be short, painful and horrific.
"No-this is something I need to do myself," Hiccup said firmly. "And I could never take you away from business for so long..." He smiled. "I would be grateful if you could not tell my Dad that I'm here? No matter that I'm exiled, I know he would want me to come home." Johann shrugged.
"As you wish," he said. "Perhaps, if you tell me where you are heading, I could offer my wisdom?" Hiccup sighed and recalled where they had come from-and where the stallholder had told him where Sniffling lay. "South, I think," he said. "It's warmer and there are fewer dragons down there so people will be less hostile..." Johann smirked.
"May I take the opportunity to wish you every good fortune, Master Hiccup?" he asked. "I hope you find your lady-and everything you deserve." Hiccup smiled.
"And you," he said pleasantly and hastened away before the man's over-loud words attracted unwanted attention. He wove his way through the crowds and carefully ducked round the back of the market, then waited until he saw the Captain's ship pull out-and Johann's familiar vessel tack into the wind. Then he dipped back and almost crashed into Dagur.
"Have you seen Heather?" the Berserker Chief asked and Hiccup's head snapped round, staring back at the market. Suddenly, anxiety crashed around him.
"Dagur," he said. "I think we have a problem..."