How To Cure The Quakes
*twenty-two years earlier*
"The count is up to ten. Ten vikings, Hiccup!" Snotlout yelled, slamming his fist on the table in the great hall.
"I know, I know, Snotlout. Just let me think. Maybe there is something in the dragon eye or the book of dragons? Has anybody contacted Gothi?" Hiccup asked, his hand going to the back of his neck again.
"What good would the dragon eye and the book of dragons do us if the dragons are all gone?" Ruffnut said from her chair at the far end of the table next to her brother.
"Maybe there is a cure mentioned in them, Ruff," I said, placing my head in my hands. I hadn't been feeling well as of late either, but I wasn't going to worry Hiccup.
"Okay, guys, real question time. Can chickens catch this disease? I need to know for personal reasons," Tuff said. He picked up his beloved pet chicken and stroked its feathers. Everyone ignored his question, including Ruffnut.
"Okay, Fishlegs and Heather, you two look through the dragon eye and the book of dragons. Twins, you both go find Gothi and bring her back here. Astrid and I will go and check on the villagers who are ill. Snotlout, you can go be with your wife and son," Hiccup instructed.
Both Willow and the baby Spikelout had contracted the disease that we were calling the Quakes. The disease caused the victims to get a fever so high they would shiver and quake violently. So far ten vikings had moved on to Odin's gates because of this new illness.
Everyone set to work on what Hiccup had told them to do.
Dagur walked over to us. "Hey, brother, what would you like me to do?" he asked.
"Can you run everything that doesn't have to do with the Quakes today? I need to put all my focus on the sick vikings," Hiccup explained. Dagur was his second in command.
"Sure thing, Chief!" Dagur said, walking out toward the docks to check on the fish inventory of the day.
Hiccup and I walked to the infirmary hand in hand. Valka and Gobber were hard at work there. Eret was there as well, helping as best as he could.
"Mom, how are they?" Hiccup asked as soon as he saw Valka.
She frowned and stood, walking away from the patient she had been attending. "It isn't looking good, son…" she whispered.
"I have Heather and Fishlegs searching the dragon eye and the book of dragons. And the twins are out searching for Gothi," the young chief said as reassuringly as he could. I could tell he was scared, so I slipped my hand into his to give him at least a little comfort. He squeezed my hand tight.
Gobber walked over and started a conversation with Hiccup and Valka. I didn't hear it though. Everything started to become blurry and I could feel sweat dripping down my forehead. "H-hiccup…" I whispered. I saw him look back at me, fear in his eyes as I blacked out.
The next thing I remember was waking up in an infirmary bed, with nothing on but a pair of underwear and my chest bindings. A thin sheet was over me and somebody was wiping my forehead with a cold rag. Cold… no, no more cold. I was already freezing. I groaned and started to shiver violently, attempting to hit the rag away so that it wouldn't add any more cold. Slowly my eyes cleared and I could tell that Valka had been the one who put the rag on my forehead. My hand was being held by somebody else's, I noticed. I glanced to the other side of me and saw my husband holding my hand between both of his. He looked like he hadn't slept for days.
"''Hiccup…" I groaned, my voice raspy and dry. My body continued to shake.
"You'll be okay. Don't worry. The twins found Gothi and she is helping Heather and Fishlegs. They'll find a cure," he said, almost like he was reassuring himself. My eyes couldn't stay open any longer. I was consumed by darkness, once again.
*present*
"Well, how did they cure you, mom?" Zephyr asked. The dress had been set aside because according to her, the story was far too interesting at the moment to be distracted by a dress.
"I was out for the majority of the time they were searching. Gothi had never seen anything like it before, but Fishlegs found something in the dragon eye. He had the grand idea to see if those glowing vine flowers by the cove would activate the dragon eye. The glow from the flowers allowed them to discover that there is a whole part of the dragon eye we had not seen yet. There are notes for medicinal plants. They found one that could cure The Quakes. Actually, it was one of those pale blue flowers you used to pick when you were young. We had always thought those were just there to be pretty, but they do serve a purpose. Everyone was able to be cured. No more vikings were lost," I explained.
"If Spike and I were in a situation like that, I would be so scared of losing him," she said softly.
"You're father was probably the most scared he has ever been. Or at least that is what he has told me," I said.
"Tell me more mom," my daughter said enthusiastically.
"Once everyone who had fallen ill had taken some of the medicine made from the flowers, they were all able to go home…"
