Chapter 1: It's very nice to meet you
A / N : First chapter everyone ! It has been a long time since i last posted up a new story. Hope you enjoy it and please remember, English isn't my first language okay ? ! Bye :3
Hiccup's POV
" RUN ! RUN !" My dad yell from behind us while my mother held my tiny hand and dragged me away.
As I ran, I could hear noises, large noises elicting from the direction behind us. They were deafening, almost like medium explosions. Suddenly, they all stopped.
" Hurry Hiccup! Hurry ! We have to get out of here ! " My mother said as we were running down the stairs of our large house.
" But what about dad ? Aren't he coming with us ?"
I asked innocently as we made it down the last few stairs. Again, everything stopped. We stood there, stayed frozen like statues at the end of the stairs, a frown adorned my mom's face. Curious, I poked my head out from behind my mother's back. There in front of us, was a group of five to six men, there faces was really blurry and all of them dressed in black. I could feel the grip around my hand tightened, almost painfully. We watched as the group of men separated into two, making a way in the middle. Soon, a figure appeared. He was a middle-aged man, with a really pale complexion. He also dressed himself in black like the other men, too.
" Valka, it has been a really long time since our last encounter , isn't it ?" He said.
" Shut up, you viper. " My mother snapped at him in my surprise. " What did you do to Stoick ?"
" Who is he, mom ? Do you know him ?" I blurted, accidentally attracted the stranger attention.
The stranger studied me from the crown of my head to the bottom of my feet carefully. The way his eyes locked on me sent shivers down my spine. Later, a craze grin crept across his devious face.
" Is that your son over there, Valka ?" He asked in an interesting tone. " I can see that he has the gift of beauty from his mother."
My mother started to shake furiously as the words escaped the stranger's mouth.
" Don't you dare touch a single hair of him, or else I'll –"
" You will what ? Slit my throat ?" The stranger said mockingly.
" Mom," I gently tugged my mother's dress, gaining her attention. " I'm scare. Make him go away."
I pressed myself against her, trying to get away from the creepy stranger's amused gleam.
" Don't worry, dear. I'll protect you. You have nothing to be worry about."
Suddenly, a hysterical laugh appeared.
" Oh so sweet. You are willing to protect your precious son…but who will protect you?"
After that the stranger whispered something to the two men beside him. After he finished, they suddenly ran toward us. We tried to withdraw, but before we even had the chance, the two men charged, one of them grabbed me by my waist and lifted me up, separated me with my mom while the other captured her slender arms.
" No ! Let me go !" I thrashed and I cried, but the man's grip on me was unbreakable.
The creepy stranger let out his lunatical laugh again at the sight in front of him. I watched as they dragged my mom closer to him.
" Don't be so afraid Valka. I can still give you and your son another way, if you be nice and tell me, where is the Moon's Heart ? "
" I rather die than telling with you, you scum."
" I know, but do you rather let your son die too because of your decision ?"
Suddenly, a sharp cold metal was place at my neck. A knife. My face immediately paled as the deadly weapon made a light contact with my skin, soon a red line appeared. I locked my eyes desperately on my mother, who was having a hard time gathering her thought.
" Let go of him. I'll do whatever you said." She finally spoke, her body trembling furiously.
The creepy man let out another hysterical laugh, he then turned his attention toward me.
" Let go of him and please, lower the knife. We don't want anything to happen to him, don't we ?" He said.
The moment after he said that I immediately felt the cold metal at my neck disappeared and I was lowered to the ground. My mother instantly ran to me and cocooned my with her arms. Her mother instincts began to kick in as she started to check my neck, caress my cheeks and ask me a bunch of question which included " Are you okay, honey ?" , "How do you feel ?", " Do you hurt anywhere ?" … The creepy guy then moved himself beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.
" You've made a very wise decision, Valka. I'm not going to lie, but it's such a relief knowing that you won't make any reckless decision ."
My eyes locked on the man then diverted back to my mother. She was biting her lips real hard like she was holding herself from screaming. Her forest green eyes were all wet and teary, but not a single drop came out . She put both of her hands on my shoulders and looked into my eyes:
" I'm sorry, Hiccup."
Before I could even answer, a blinding streak of light flashed from my mother's wrist and aimed toward the man behind her. But before it could arrive, the man grabbed my mother's hand with an astonish speed, making her let out a shriek and dropped the dagger she was holding down on the floor. His face showed an scornful expression as he shoved my mother away. I watched in horror as she fell, making a painful sound as the flesh connected with the marble floor. I really wanted to get to her and help her, but I froze when I felt the appearance of the guy that just hoisted me up a moment ago behind my back.
" Nice try, but it would to be better than that if you ever want to kill me." The creepy man said mockingly as he picked up my mother's dagger and walked toward her.
I could feel my heart beating faster and faster as the man moved himself toward my mother. When he had arrived at his destination, he grabbed my mother's hair and yanked it up. My mother screamed in pain, but it only amused the man more. She looked at him, rage and hatred filled her usually - calm eyes. The man then lower himself to my mother's level, the dagger in his hand threatened to deal the final blow any time.
" This is your last chance. Tell me where is it or die !"
A smirk crept up my mother face. She glared at him with all her might.
" Go to hell, because that's where you belong, devil."
The man looked furious in a moment, but immediately regained his composure.
" Alright then, I'll see down there."
My eyes widen in shock as the blade of the dagger pierced through my mother's clothes and stabbed her in the heart. The man then yanked the dagger out, making her wound open. Blood began to pour out, so much that it painted the carpeted floor surrounded her in one crimson red colour. She looked at me one last time, a calming smile on her face. And then she collapsed, the light in her forest eyes was snuffed out, forever.
" NO !"
I screamed in agony. But before I could run to her, the guy behind me grabbed my arm and held me still. I cried and I thrashed but nothing changed. She was gone, leaving me behind, all alone.
" I'll sure see you on the other side." The man that just murdered my mom said in a mocking way before he made his way to me. I began trembling. What would he do to me ? Would he kill me ?Would he harm me ?
He gave me gleam, the kind that pierced through my trembling shell and looked straight into my soul.
" You should know better than your mother, child. Now be nice and tell me, WHERE IS THE MOON'S HEART ?"
I was terrified, really. I tried to open my mouth, but couldn't, so I shook my head violently. The man became furious again. He raised his hand and gave my tear – stained face a stinging slap. It hurt so bad that If it wasn't for the guy behind me holding me into place, I would have fall down the floor, like my mother.
" You and your family is really good at testing other's patient. I ask you one last time, where is it ?!"
" I … I don't know." I stuttered.
The man opposite me raised his hand up again, ready to slap me again. I closed my eyes shut, but nothing came. I opened one of my eyes and saw his arm being stopped by the guy behind me.
" I think that the kid really don't know about the jewel, boss. He's just a kid, after all."
After that, he released the man's arm. The man gave a grunt as he slowly caressed his wrist back to life. He took his time staring at thin air, thinking something in his evil head. Until he turned his back to us.
" Then he's useless. Sell him to the slave trader. Make sure to dispose everything in the way."
" Wait … What ?!"
But before I could protest, something hit the back of my neck. Darkness then consumed me.
" AHH !"
I shot myself forward from the bed, sweat covering my face and neck. It was that nightmare again.
" Why does it have to remind now, after all those time I tried to forget it."
Suddenly, there were brutal knocks on the door of my room, which really wasn't at all, just an old, dusty store house that was used to put household equipment like scissors, spades, …
" Hiccup ! Wake up and get your scrawny butt out here ! You know that you're going to the black market today so quickly up !"
" Fine. I'm coming." I responded as I got out of bed and walked toward the small sink.
It had been two years since that faithful night. I had been sold to a slave trader, then he sold me to a duke. Then I was sold to another person, and another, and then another …. They didn't last, mostly because of my clumsiness. Just like that, I was passed from people to people like an object. My owners all had something in common : They were rich people who love to laugh at other people's misery. One more thing in addition : They were a bunch of pervert ! I couldn't have myself save from all of their disgusting touches. If I do, they usually threatened to sell me away, which always came true because of my stubborn issue. So once again, I about to be pass to another owner who think i was worthy enough to work in their orgy city.
Pouring water into my slightly calloused palms, I splashed them all over my face. Brushed my teeth, washed my face … I really don't have to changed my clothes , because except of my tattered nightgown, I had nothing left. All that followed me was a burning slave mark at my hips, a repetitive nightmare and a dreadful past.
As I walked to the door and wrapped my hand around the rusted handle, I turned around and took one last look to the room.
" It is time to say goodbye."
And then I opened the door and entered the heartless world outside once more.
Jack's POV
" Remind me, why are we in the bad part of town again ? "
" Because it's the only way we can get to the black market."
" Okay … Why do have to go to the black market anyway ?"
I asked as my butler, Toothless, held my hand and dragged my across the stream of people in the dark street.
" Because … the black market is where you can find lots of treasure hunters. Maybe one of them do have some clues about what we've been looking for the past few years, my Lord." He said with a cold tone as he continued dragging me through alleyways.
" You mean there is someone who knew where is the Moon's Heart in that … market ?"
" It's a 50/50 chance."
" Then what are we waiting for ?" I answered optimistically. " Quickly up !"
We made a few more turns, cross through another bunch of dark alleys, … After what it seemed like forever, we stopped when we had reached our destination.
" The black market." I whispered .
The black market, a place when you could find anything you want. Deadly weapons, no problem. Rare jewels, piece of cake. Even assassins for hire ! But what made so popular was because of its slave trading and auctioning business. Everyday, hundreds of them were sold and bought. We wandered around the place, crashed into every jewelery counter we could see and asked them if they know any traces of the Moon's Heart. The Moon's Heart, was a very very precious and famous jewel. It was a beautiful pink diamond that shaped like a heart and stored inside another large block of quartz. They said that the diamond wasn't from Earth but from the Moon itself. There were legends about it, that it stored the Moon's essence inside it and had the power to control the waves and tides, or it will grant it owner internal life, like the Moon itself. That's why it was very well-known in the treasure hunting business. People wanted it so bad that the diamond also had another name, The Pink Demise. It had that name because of the number of people died just to had a chance to touch it, which was slim as none. But despite all those casualties, people still trying to find it, no matter what was the cost. As Toothless kept on wandering from one counter to another, I couldn't save myself from the dreaded boredom of having nothing to do, so I started walking around. Everywhere I went, I saw banned weapons, sacred jewels, aphrodisiac ,… things like that, nothing really special to me. I was so carried away I didn't notice that I had entered a large square, with brick road, marble fountain, everything you could find in a normal square, except for that big stage and crowd.
" What are they doing over there ?" I mumbled as I moved myself closer and closer to the crowd.
The closer I was to the crowd, I could hear shouting like " 100" , "120", "170" …. Seemed like another slave auction, well obviously because of that poor and skinny slave up on the stage with that big fat man with fancy clothes and jewel rings on his fingers. I watched the auction in defiance. How could they sell and auction people like they were some objects ? I was snapped out of my thought when that big fat man on the stage yelled: "SOLD! To the big old man at the front." As the slave earlier exited the stage and walked toward his new master, the man continue as he held out a big scroll from his pocket.
" Next on the line is a Berkian, Hiccup."
A slim figure walked up the stage and stood in the middle of it. I couldn't believe in my own eyes anymore since that moment, because the guy on that stage definitely was the most beautiful boy in the world. He had an nice oval face with a fair, very fair complexion. His hair was long and reddish brown, while his lips was red , so red that it would make a rose to be ashamed. And those eyes, oh my gods those eyes that were adorned with long, curve lashes, were like the best emeralds man-kind had ever seen. He was wearing a white, tattered night gown that had been patched and stitched so many times, but even in it, his angelic look didn't fade. Instead, it shone brighter, like a raw, precious jewel awaiting to be discovered and honed.
" Why would someone like him, having a fate like that ?"
The crowed began to agitate, even from the back I could hear whispers and whistles. Satisfied by the reaction of the crowd, the fat man that was on the stage with Hiccup spoke:
" The starting price is 200 silver coins."
200 silver coins ! That's too … cheap for a treasure like him. But not for long.
" 250"
"290"
"350"
" 395"
.
.
.
" 500 !"
" 500 silver coins. Going once, going twice ..."
Before I even know, my mouth had reacted and as usual, shocked everybody that was near me.
Hiccup's POV
I watched as the number kept rising from 200 to 500. 500, no one had ever bought me with that much money. What a waste, when you could use it for something more useful. But what right do I have to tell what I think ?
" This is it." I said to myself as my boss started with the "going once, going twice …" thing. Then suddenly:
" 100 gold coins !" A voice emitted from the crowd, shocked everyone in the horizon, including me.
Back then, 1 gold coin was equal to 50 silver coins , that meant 100 was …. 5000 ! Oh my god !
"Who said that ?" My boss said as stared at the crowd of people in front of us, trying to spot the person who would make him a big profit.
Soon the crowd divided into two, leaving a way in the middle. A mop of white hair started moving forward us. It was a very good-looking guy, with pale skin and hair white as snow. His eyes were big and had a gorgeous cerulean color that made me feeling so dizzy like I was having a heat stroke. He was wearing very expensive clothes, which meant he came from a very powerful and wealthy family.
" Wh-What did you just say ?" Boss stuttered as he scanned the guy
" 100 gold coins." He said as he walked toward the stage. He put one hand inside his expensive white coat and took out a bag, which obviously held the money. He dangling and wiggling it in front of boss's face. " Deal ?"
" SOLD ! To this gentleman over here." Boss grabbed that bag of gold coins instantly, a freaking smile I'd been getting used to appeared on his face. Then he turned back to me. " Hiccup, come down there and meet your new master."
I nodded my head and clumsily, made my way down the stage. As I walked toward the white-haired male, thousand of thoughts flew back and forth in my head.
" I wonder what he would be like ? Is he a bad guy? Or a good guy ? Please , be good please ! I can't stand it anymore !"
Before I knew it I already was in front of him. I really wanted to look at his face. But a slave was forbidden from looking into it's master's face. I too, had to obey so I kept my head down in front of him. I was hoping for an introducing, but instead I felt a cold hand grabbed the wrist of my hand and dragged me away. We crossed through the crowd of people and started walking out of the square. We kept walking and walking, a deadly silence fell on both of us, me because I wasn't allow to talk without any permission, him … I don't know, probably he thought that I wasn't worth talking to. Soon, we stopped at the jewel alley, there is a tall man with black hair who was wearing a black tux accompanied with a matching tail coat. He kept on wandering from counter to counter, asking something which I couldn't hear, until my new master called:
" Toothless, time to go ! It's late ."
The man turned his attention to us. Nothing too serious, until he spotted me. His eye widened as he scanned me from head to toe.
" May I ask who is that ?" He said as he walked himself toward us.
" Nah, just a little fella I just rescued from the hand of those nasty slave traders." My new master said with proud. " Can we go now ? It's boring here."
Toothless rolled his eyes. He turned around and started walking. We soon followed his track, the deadly silent still haunted us. A few lefts, a few rights,… Until I saw a black, ornate chariot with two, gorgeous white horse at the start of the alley, just a few metres away. There was an old man that seated in the charioteer's seat. As we arrived, Toothless quickly and gracefully opened the door and the white-haired got in. I just standed there, confused.
" There is no way her's going to let me seat with him. But … where should I ?"
Like seeing my problem, the white-haired patted the empty space next to him and said:
" Well , what are you waiting for? Get on ."
" But I'm not suppose to d- "
" Nah, just forget it and get in. "
Well, this was awkward. I gave Toothless a look, silently asking him what to do. He nodded in response, approved that I should be nice and do it. Had no other choice to choose, I desperately had to get inside the fancy chariot and sit next to "him". Soon, Toothless hopped on and settled himself beside the charioteer. And then, the wooden wheels started to roll, leaving the dark alley behind. All I did, was sat there, looking out the world outside through the glass window. And then his voice rang up:
" Um. … it seems I haven't politely introduce myself. I'm Jackson, Jackson Overland Frost. But most people call me Jack."
" Hiccup is my name, master." I replied dryly, eyes still fixed at the scenery outside.
" Why don't you look at me and say it yourself ? It's quite rude if you do it like that."
He shocked me. Really.
" A slave never has the right to look at it's master's face. I too, have to follow."
" Please, stop the master thing. It's really annoying." Jack said with a huff.
" Then what do you want me to call you ?" I turned my head back and looked at him.
" Jack. Jack is fine" He put on a smile, showing all of his pearly white teeth. The whole place was magically lit up. For a moment I could felt a hot blush start blooming on my cheeks, but it soon died down, because after all, I don't think emotions could really affect me anymore. I faked a happy face, sending a smile back at him.
"It's very nice to meet you, Jack."