TWENTY FIVE: The Chief's Guest

Chief Kjetil of Sniffling was sympathetic as Hiccup returned to the little island, tired and cold but determined to locate the missing Astrid. There was no sign of the Hunters returning but the Dragon Rider did a sweep around the island just to reassure his host that his people were safe. The storm had finally settled and he was finally able to follow the directions to find the tiny island of Stippling which was Astrid's stated destination. He carried with him the best wishes of Hjordis and a selection of herbs and head-spinning advice from the village healer regarding childbirth. He had interrogated her about everything he needed to know-and had almost regretted the detail that he had learned...but he had persevered, because Astrid could need him.

But now he was flying hard and fast southwest, through countless tiny islets and seastacks that trailed to and fro, coalescing into small islands. The first he found had a village burnt to the ground, looking for all of Midgard like a dragon attack...but there were no survivors. Carefully, he looked around, seeing the charred ruins and then he found the sign of a dragon: single footprints from a Nadder. He frowned and crouched by the marks and then glanced up at the Night Fury.

"What do you think, bud?" he murmured and the dragon sniffed at the Nadder prints. He gave a soft warble and his ears pricked. "So it is them," he murmured, a hand gently stroking the depression. "So what happened? Why did you destroy the village, Astrid? Are you alright?" he sighed and then rose to his feet, swinging into the saddle. "Come on, bud," he murmured as they flew away, shaking his head. He had no clue why the dragon would attack but he had to be on his guard. Did the village attack her? Was she hurt? Was the baby safe? And were there any threats still out there?

He sighed. There was no way he could risk getting captured once more because no one could come for him now-and he no longer had the luxury of time. He leaned forward as Toothless accelerated away, following the line of the seastacks that suddenly, abruptly stopped, leaving him facing an open, blank expense of water. They backwinged and stared across the open sea, breathing hard. Craning his neck, Hiccup peered into the sky and checked the position of the sun-and then he flipped open the compass attached to his left forearm. Gobber had shown him how to make one and he had spent some time working on it back on the Edge after he had believed Viggo dead...never realising he would the upgrades so soon. He checked the direction-and then flipped the cover over the compass once more.

"Okay, Bud-let's go," he announced. "After all, Astrid must have come this way-and we have to find her. She said she was coming this way-so this is the way she came." He leaned forward and adjusted the tailfin. "Let's go. And hope we can catch her up soon..."

oOo

It had been four days and Astrid was allowed out of bed by the cautious Anja. At first, she had railed at the restrictions but as she tried to get up and felt her head spinning, she had laid back and conceded that perhaps the woman, though not as wizened and experienced as Gothi, knew what she was talking about. Her fever had returned that night and she had lain miserably, wishing she was in Hiccup's arms and feeling his child doing somersaults in her belly.

"Easy, little Thumper," she murmured and gently stroked an elbow that was poking out most painfully just under her belly button. "Momma is here. And we will up and about soon enough."

The first time she felt more like herself was when she was aided to a bath by Anja and her assistant, Ingrid, who helped her on her shaky feet to the wooden tub, steam coiling above the warm water and as she had finally been able to soak and wash her stringy hair and aching body, Astrid had finally felt her strength return. Clean, feeling human and much more alert, Astrid had refused to go back to bed, insisting on sitting in a chair and looking out of the window to get her first proper glimpse of the village she had landed in.

Granite Isle was accurately named. The settlement was located in a deep cleft in the dark grey granite cliffs, a small valley with a vigorous icy stream running through its centre and square stone buildings running down the sides of the main space, leaning against the cliffs for support. Each had roofs made of tiles of stone and smoke coiled from each home through small columns of stone that sat over the stone holes. There was a stone bakery, a stone forge with a wooden shutter over the hatch and stone barns for livestock and provisions. And up above, there was a wooden door carved into the cliffs that Anja told her led to the Council Chamber that was cut into the rock itself, like the Great Hall of Berk. Below the Council Chamber was a much larger cave that served as the Village Hall and there was a winding stair that was visible, snaking up the cliffs that rose dizzyingly to the sky, leading to the alter to Thor, the God of Thunder.

But there were no trees or grass, no signs of traditional viking longhouses or the familiar dragon's head ornaments protruding from the front of Berkian homes and the entire place looked lifeless and alien-more akin to Outcast island than the homes she loved on Berk and Dragon's Edge. The sky was restricted by the cliffs, a smaller vista that was grey and she could guess that the very depths of the little canyon that cradled the settlement never experienced the caress of the sun. It seemed a bleak and miserable place to Astrid and she wondered who Stormfly was doing, locked up here instead of being free to come and go, as she was used to.

She sighed, feeling her skin prickle with goosebumps and she pulled the furs tighter around her. The window was open onto the main plaza and there was a cold breeze but she didn't want to go back to staring at four walls. The people seemed grim and focussed on what they were doing, heads down and walking back and forth with scarcely a nod or greeting for anyone else. In Berk, the women would be chatting, the men laughing and joking and the whole atmosphere would be happier, more carefree. This place seemed grim, cold and soulless and she wondered how long it would be until she was fit enough to leave.

And then a man looked up-a tall, muscular man with grey eyes, a full beard and dark brown hair pulled back into a thick braid. His rugged face tilted into a smile which Astrid found herself responding to-because he was the only person, apart from Anja, who seemed friendly. He granted her a nod of greeting and then continued on his way, stopping to intercept two armoured men and directing them the head back the way they had come. Sighing, Astrid sat back and continued her observation.

She saw the man a couple more times as she sat there and he always looked up, smiled and nodded a greeting to her before returning to her tasks. It was a gesture she appreciated since, though she was wary of being pointed out and stared at for the outsider she was, being ignored was worse. And as she observed, she realised he was a man of authority, for everyone he spoke to snapped to obey him without question. It was something she could appreciate, having been leader among the teens and Hiccup's second-in-command. So she observed for the rest of the day.

The following day, she demanded clothes and was relieved to have her packs delivered to her intact. It was a huge relief to get back into her own things-and have the clothes she had been wearing when she had arrived delivered to her as well-cleaned and dried. Carefully, she dressed and felt more herself as she pulled her boots on, laced the sides of her new fur-lined over tunic to fit her expanded middle and stood, stretching. She knew she needed to get back on her feet and exercise because she just felt weak, even though she was also feeling much better. But her axe was missing and when she checked her packs further, her weapons were gone, her knives...anything that could be used as a weapon.

For the first time, a frisson of anxiety flickered through her chest and she glared-and then left her sick room, storming out of the building and onto the street, before grabbing the first person she ran into.

"Arena. Now!" she growled as the man stared at her in shock, obviously unused to her direct approach.

"I...er..." the man said worriedly.

"Can I help you?" a gruff voice asked clearly and Astrid turned-to see the smiling man she had watched the previous day. She nodded.

"I need to get to the Arena to see my dragon," she said firmly. His mouth quirked up at one side, his grey eyes twinkling.

"I believe I can take you there, stranger-if you grace me with your name," he said. His rugged face was warm and she forced herself to calm down, knowing that being polite would achieve more than her usual instinctive aggression...especially since she had no weapons to back up her demands.

"I'm Astrid Hofferson," she said carefully. "Stormfly is my dragon, my friend and I need to see her. She hates being penned up and it's cruel to prevent her flying..." The man's brows dipped briefly before he invited her to walk down the plaza.

"I suspect the people here quite rightly wanted to make sure an unknown wild and dangerous animal didn't pose a risk to the villagers," he suggested and she forced herself to appreciate the concerns of these people. If a dragon rider had landed four years earlier in Berk, they would have been locked up and the dragon imprisoned or slain: she could hardly blame their caution.

"I...understand..." she said reluctantly. "And...thank you." She headed off and the man fell in step beside her as she walked briskly down the plaza. "Um...may I ask your name, sir?" He glanced at her, his lips definitely curled up in a smile.

"My name is Torgeir," he told her calmly. "And I am fascinated at how you would befriend and ride a dragon..." She smiled and for a second, Hiccup's face flashed across her memory, his eager voice echoing through her ears.

"You really should talk to my...friend..." she forced herself to say. "He realised that dragons are amazing, protective gentle creatures who want to be friends. He gave us a whole new way of life..." He stole a glance at her as they walked down towards the Arena, not missing the subtle gesture of his hand which made the men guarding the entrance step back. Her eyes flicked up and inspected him. "Just who are you, Torgeir?" she asked quietly. "These men obey your smallest gesture..." He dipped his head, still smiling benignly.

"I think someone is waiting to see you," he said and gestured as Astrid saw the familiar shape in a cage, a relieved and welcoming trill loud in the stone-lined space. Astrid's face lit with a sudden smile of delight and relief and she ran towards the dragon, her hands reaching through the bars to caress the scaly face, fingers trailing lovingly over Stormily's nose horn and pressing herself as close as she could to the bars.

"Stormfly!" she gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry, girl. You shouldn't be locked up. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have tried to help the villagers but I knew...they would all die, like that other village, if we didn't..." Then she looked up.

"Let her out!" she demanded, her face angry. His eyebrow arched in amusement.

"Are you sure she's safe?" he asked her and she smiled.

"She is if you don't threaten me," she told him clearly and he nodded, walking to the cage door and slamming down the lever to free the Deadly Nadder.

In an instant Stormfly was out, trilling and cawing, her wings flapping with delight and nuzzling against her beloved rider. Astrid hugged her without hesitation, murmuring words of relief as she hung onto the dragon. But as she got over her initial relief, she realised her dragon was thin and wary, her wings cramped from lack of exercise and her scales dull from dehydration. And then she raised her eyes angrily, glaring at Torgeir.

"Why has she been starved and deprived of water?" she demanded. The man circled the dragon and shrugged.

"My people are not sure how to care for such a beast-and even less sure if they should," he admitted. "But...I am assured she means much to you and so we therefore have to offer her hospitality. What food does she require?"

"Fish," she said quickly. "They eat fish...though she likes chicken as well."

"Then a feast of fish and chicken it is," he said and snapped his fingers. The two men guarding the Arena hurried in-and bowed. "Fetch a barrel of fish and some roasted chicken-as well as a barrel of fresh water. NOW!" The men bowed.

"Yes, Chief," they said and scurried away as Astrid stared at him, her arms still protectively around the dragon's head.

"Chief?"

He gave a small bow. "Chief Torgeir of Granite Isle-at your service, Astrid Hofferson," he said formally and his face was warmed by his smile. "I apologise for the deception but I wished to get to know you before I revealed who I was..."

"Because you thought I may be intimidated by your status?" she guessed and he shrugged.

"Possibly-though I see now you are a brave and fierce woman who fears nothing," he told her. "I saw you smile from the window and of course, I have been updated by Healer Anja-but you must understand that you are a stranger here. And I have to ensure that you are no threat to my people." Reluctantly she nodded at his words but he smiled. "I think...you could be an asset to our tribe, Astrid Hofferson. I am willing to offer you a home and security for the remainder of your pregnancy and security for you and your child." He paused. "I assume the father is no longer...with you?" Her eyes dropped.

"He is lost to me," she admitted and her hand dropped protectively to the bump. "Thumper here is all I have left of him."

"I am sorry," he offered, stepping closer. "I would like to offer you my protection-as a gesture of goodwill." She managed a wan smile.

"I am grateful," she said and looked into his eyes. "Can she remain here in the Arena, not the cage? It is too small for her and she really needs to fly. I need to fly her..." His eyes widened in shock.

"But in your condition, I would have thought..." he began and she couldn't help herself: she laughed. He looked offended and she struggled to smother her laughs.

"I am sorry, Chief," she apologised urgently. "I have flown all through the pregnancy-and intend to fly to the end. Stormfly is my friend and partner-she will always protect me and fly as safely as I need. But she needs room to move around..." He took a deep breath and then nodded.

"The whole Arena will be her cage," he decreed as the men returned carrying barrels of fish and water and a bag with chicken in. He gestured. "I think you should feed her-she will appreciate the attention. She looked up, her blue eyes wide with gratitude.

"Thank you, Chief," she said and he smiled back.

"Torgeir, please," he said firmly. "I am your friend, Astrid." Then Stormfly nudged her and she turned apologetically back. "Attend to your friend-I will visit you later at Anja's." he added as she rubbed the scaly face once more. Smiling, she prised open the first barrel and began to feed the Nadder while Torgeir paused at the gate of the Arena.

"So at least I know how to deal with the dragon," he murmured.

oOo

Hiccup was exhausted as he blinked against the stinging rain. Toothless had been making good speed-but the dragon wasn't at top speed, because he was still tired from their dash down from the very north of the Archipelago to the island of Sniffling. And now they were searching for the tiny isle of Stippling, out here in the middle of nowhere. Though, of course, Middle-Of-Nowhere wasn't that far from Freezing-To-Death...

He blinked and his hands tightened on the edge of the saddle. Swirling around in his head was the horrific guilt and the terror that he would arrive too late, that Astrid or the child or both would be dead and he should have been there to stop it. And while it was possible to justify every delay individually, to explain his actions through his duty to Berk, to the succession, to his friends...the truth was that he should have abandoned everything to go after her. And the only thing that had stopped him was not wanting to see his father look at him with disappointment and shame once more. He shuddered: for almost all of his life, Stoick had been ashamed of him and it was only since the Red Death that his father had been proud of his son. And now, his father had ruined his life and cost Hiccup the woman he loved and his unborn child. And Hiccup had let him...until it was too late.

And then a shape appeared on the horizon, a small island with smoke curling up from a settlement and he determinedly urged the dragon on, his heart suddenly leaping at the hope he could find Astrid and be with her once more.

"Up ahead, bud," he murmured. "They should be there..."

But it took an inordinately long time for them to finally reach the shore and Hiccup could feel his friend working hard to make the final mile, exhausted by his exertions. Guilt wracking him, the auburn-haired Viking landed in the Plaza of the small village and saw a small group of villagers draw back and reach for their weapons on seeing the stranger atop the black dragon. He raised his hand appeasingly, his eyes wide at the sight.

"I mean no harm," he said quickly. "I only come looking for Astrid Hofferson and her dragon Stormfly..." The weapons levelled at him and he shook his head. "Please-Chief Kjetil of Sniffling said that she was headed here to his friend, Chief Magnus..." There was a long pause, broken only by the low growl of the Night Fury, the creak of leather and the shuffle of feet. And then a crumpled man with wild grey hair, a salt and pepper beard and dark eyes walked forward.

"I am Magnus," he said in a hard voice, his voice still hoarse from a sore throat. "Give your name, stranger. This village will not tolerate opportunists picking over our homes while we are sick..." Emerald eyes widened as he stared into the man's eyes.

"I am Hiccup Horrendous Haddock of B...Dragon's Edge," he introduced himself, catching himself before he could speak Berk's name. "I am Astrid's friend and I am looking for her." He tilted his head. "You mentioned sickness..." Magnus nodded, though no one lowered his weapon.

"The village has been ravaged by Eel Pox," the Chief revealed and Hiccup gasped. Then he nodded.

"Have you been given the cure?" he asked. "It consists of..."

"Astrid Hofferson generously collected and brewed the cure, tending for all of us when we were so sick none of us could care for ourselves," he said. "She certainly saved all our lives. When the cure was running out, she headed for the Healers' Isle...but she never returned." Eyes widened and his face looked stricken.

"Never returned?" he asked softly. "When did she leave?"

"Several days ago," the Chief revealed. "When she left, there were only a handful of us up...and though there are more who are recovering, many remain very weak and we have neither the men nor resources to go and find her..." Then he sighed. "She mentioned she had passed a village on the way here where all were dead, slain by the same sickness or worse that scourged here. Maybe she is ill. Maybe she succumbed. Or maybe there is something else that has befallen her..." Unconsciously, Hiccup rested a hand flat onto Toothless's head and felt the worried croon through his hand.

"Do you need anything?' he asked automatically, though his voice was suddenly toneless. A lead weight had settled in his stomach at the Chief's words.

Please Odin and Freya-not. Don't let her have fallen to disease while I returned...

But reading the young Viking's distress in his suddenly distraught eyes, Magnus shook his head, walking forward to press a hand on the hunched shoulder of the stranger.

"We are well supplied from the stores and we shall cope, Hiccup Haddock..." he reassured the young man gently. "Your friend saved us-and she is missing. So you must stay as our guest until you are ready to search for her..." Hiccup almost opened his mouth to explain that he was ready to go now...but he felt Toothless grumble and pointedly lay down...and he knew the NightFury couldn't fly another yard. And though he was zinging with anxiety and unable to rest knowing Astrid was out there, in danger, he knew he had to be patient. Faithful Toothless was exhausted and his own head was buzzing with weariness. He nodded.

"Thank you for your offer," he forced himself to say. "I...am very grateful." Magnus squeezed his shoulder once more to reassure the young man. He gestured to his villagers and they finally lowered their weapons.

"You are welcome to stay to replenish your supplies and rest as our guest, as a friend of our saviour, Astrid...and then, tomorrow, you can go find her."