This is my SECOND update today (probably not my last, either). Hope you guys aren't too mad about the cliffhangers. :) Shout-outs:
Wanli8970: I did that on purpose. You're supposed to hate that particular healer. And I think it worked rather fine, thank you. :D
QueenAurora: I don't know how some people watched it...I think they found some crazy internet download thingy, but I sure haven't found it yet! COME ON, WE'RE DYING HERE! XD! And YES, I LOVE that look for Hiccup! It's great! :) From what I've heard, Dawn of the Dragon Racers is going to be released when HTTYD2 comes out on DVD, sort of like what they did for "Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon." It was like an aditional add-on. But I don't know, so please don't quote me! XD!
xFaerieValkyriex: Nope nope nope nope nope nope...worse worse worse worse worse worse...nope nope nope nope...
Please don't think I was being too hard on the healer. All in all, she needed that little pep talk. You don't just go around telling people their Chief has no hope of living. Who does that, seriously?
I would have to talk to Hiccup about getting rid of her as soon as the war subsided. Right now, we needed every healer we had. There were tons more people coming in from the battlefield, some injuries worse than others. The Great Hall was bustling with healers, racing from one patient to the next, mumbling to each other in hushed tones, even though sometimes I caught what they were saying.
All the injured ones who could leave had to leave; the Great Hall was nearly packed with the sick and wounded. It was so horrible to behold; too horrible to even imagine, and yet it was happening. Ruffnut came out with only a broken leg, but she couldn't fight with crutches. Well, actually...she probably could. She'd probably use them as clubs.
But, nonetheless, we weren't letting her fight. We couldn't risk her either getting more hurt, or even killed. Drago's men weren't the least bit merciful. They would kill her while she was down.
I hesitated for a few moments before opening the door to the Great Hall and slipping inside. I ignored the glances given to me by healers and instantly made my way back over to Valka and Hiccup. Valka was trying to get Hiccup to drink some water, and Hiccup was just barely conscious.
He looked even worse than before, if that was even possible. He was shivering, covered in sweat, and pale. His breath rattling uneasily, worrying both me and Valka. I remembered what the healer had said about Hiccup's wound being infected...it shot a spike of fear through my heart. The cloth was still on his forehead; he wasn't getting better, which meant he could only be getting worse.
I knelt in front of them and shot Valka a quick glance. Valka didn't look back at me as she lowered the water cup and set it to the side.
Valka looked exhausted. She'd probably sat up with Hiccup ever since he was injured, which was a while ago.
"Valka, you can go get some rest," I said. "I'll stay with Hiccup."
Valka looked up at me, and I could tell she wanted to protest, but I spoke up again before she could.
"It'll do you good," I said. "If something happens, I'll get Stormfly to get you."
Valka sighed in defeat and stood up. She knew I was right.
"Anything," said Valka. "If anything happens, you come get me. Clear?"
It wasn't a question; it was a statement. But, nonetheless, I answered with a nod and a smooth "Clear" before Valka turned and exited the Great Hall.
I looked down at Hiccup and felt the urge to cry, but I held my tears back for his sake. He was conscious, if just barely. I didn't want to worry him or something. That was the last thing we needed.
I gently took the cloth off his forehead and pressed my hand to his forehead. He still had a high fever, so I re-wet the rag and placed it back. Hiccup moaned slightly and opened his eyes half-way, looking up at me.
"Hi," he whimpered, coughing once afterwards.
"Hi," I replied.
Wow. That sounded lame, I thought. You can say something better that that.
"How you feeling?" I asked.
"Like I've been mauled over by a Night Fury and forced to drink three cups of yaknog, but other than that, fine," he said. I could tell he was trying to put some humor into his words, but if I didn't know him personally, I would have thought he was just giving me a literal metaphor.
And about the yaknog? Well, I finally tasted some of it and...let's just say, it wasn't something I would like to have repeated. Yaknog was awful. And that was the least I could say.
[Yeah, stop agreeing with me, Hiccup. Not my fault I can't make a tasty beverage]
"I'm sorry," I said. "I can't help but feel this is my fault."
"Wh-what in the world *cough* would l-lead you to believe that this was y-your fault?" he asked me.
"I could have...I don't know," I said.
"Precisely," said Hiccup, coughing again afterwards. "There was nothing you co-could have done t-to prevent all t-this."
His eyes slid shut, although I realized he was still conscious.
I didn't know what else to say, so I just asked him a question. "Do you want water, or something?" I asked.
"Not at the moment," said Hiccup. "M-maybe later, or som'hin. And th-thanks, Astrid."
His breathing evened out, and I realized he was sleeping. I felt so bad for him it was incredible. Why would someone do this? Who did Drago think he was? He didn't have the right to do something like this to Hiccup. I didn't care that he outnumbered us. He deserved to die in some horrible way.
A few hours later, nothing changed. Valka came back and took over, and I left to see how the poisons were coming along. Ruffnut and Tuffnut were preparing a small boat to take them out in and dump them in the sea with, even though Ruffnut still had her crutches and broken leg. Snotlout and Fishlegs were loading the boat with buckets of sickly smelling, thick, green liquid.
I didn't dare ask what they used to create such a horrid smelling thing.
"How are you guys coming along?" I asked.
"Great, only problem is, Ruffnut's not going to go out there with Tuffnut," said Snotlout. "We wouldn't allow it."
"Ugh, I told you guys, it's just a broken leg," said Ruffnut. "It'll be fine."
"But if you guys were attacked, you wouldn't be able to fight," Fishlegs pointed out.
"Ahh, that's what the crutches are for!" she exclaimed, dropping one crutch and holding the other one like she was ready to hit a ball with it.
See? I told you she'd use her crutches.
"Nope, sorry sis," said Tuffnut. "You're not coming. You can't defend yourself properly."
"Well, someone has to go out," said Snotlout.
"Might as well be me," I offered. Everyone turned to me. "What?" I asked. "Who else is going to go? Who better to protect Tuffnut than me?"
"She has a point," said Fishlegs. "I guess you really are our best option."
"So, when do we leave?" I asked.
"Tonight, after the sun's gone down," said Snotlout. "We can't risk any of Drago's men seeing this ship. If they do...bye-bye victory, Hooligans."
I wished he hadn't said that.
"Okay, so nightfall," I said. "Let's just hope there isn't a full moon."
...
There was, of course, a full moon.
Perfect, I thought bitterly. If any single one of Drago's men spotted either me or Tuffnut, the cease fire would be destroyed, and we would be killed.
I hadn't spoken of my true reasons for volunteering to go with Tuffnut. Well, of course, I was the logical choice, but it was much, much more than just logic. This, was personal.
Drago had hurt Hiccup. My Hiccup. My friend. My leader. My pal. My everything. I was going to board Drago's ship, find the cure for the poison, and then leave. If there wasn't a cure, I planned to make sure Drago never forgot what he did.
There were so many things about Hiccup I missed seeing the past few days: his smile, his laugh, his leadership, his friendship, his humor that lightened every situation, that fiendish smirk he got whenever testing a new idea, his brilliant plans, his amazing mind, his incredible kindness. Pretty much everything.
And if I didn't get that cure, all of that was going to be never seen again.
Tuffnut and I boarded our boat, looking back one last time at Snotlout, Ruffnut and Fishlegs.
"You sure you know what you're doing?" asked Fishlegs.
"Of course!" I said. "Look who you're talking to!"
"That's what worries me," said Fishlegs. "Look, Astrid, don't do anything rash."
"Why on Earth would you think that?" I asked sweetly. Oh no, does he know what I'm planning? I thought to myself.
"Well, okay then," said Fishlegs. "But be careful."
"Sure," I said.
Tuffnut and I untied the boat from the docks, manded the two oars, and pushed it away from the shore. We were out to sea.
