PART 5 - WAR OF THE NORTH

Chapitre 34
Princes of the north

Astrid had just left them for a few minutes things seemed to be completely calm within the cave. Hiccup, seeing how Frost was preoccupied, smiled and patted his head.

''It's gonna be alright. We'll find her. She won't hurt you.''

''That's not what I'm worried about…'' Frost admitted, snuggling in the fur cloak.

''You're thinking about you staff, aren't you ?''

Frost shyly nodded, but the chief was puzzled.

''How is this stick that important ?''

''it's not just a stick, it's a totem. It's a magical object that turns my tail into legs. Since I don't have it anymore, I can't get back my legs, I'm stuck in the water.''

''I see. No wonder you really want to get it back. Do you know where it is ?''

''It fell from the cliff, I suppose it's deep into the ocean, somewhere.''

''It must have not fell far away, but the current must have drag it farther.''

Frost let out a grunt as he burried his face hin his palms. What was he going to do if he couldn't get back to the land ? He couldn't live in this cave, how was he supposed to be with Nuffink if none of them could breath in the other's 'life environment' ?

''Let's take care of Igvid first.'' Hiccup suggested. ''Then we'll ask help from all the riders to get your totem back, okay ?''

''Thank you.'' Frost was so moved and warmed he thought it was just a dream.

The boy and the chif looked at each other for a moment, eyes filled with gratefulness/ kindness. That's when a deep voice boomed.

''Fröstkel !''

The voice boomed like thunder itself, echoing within the cave's walls. The white-haired merman flinched as he recognized it. He looked towards the entrance and saw there two familiar faces. But it was not possible, they couldn't be here. Hiccup was confused when he saw them, and even more so seeing Frost's reaction.

By the entrance of the cave stood two young men. One seemed to be the same age as Zephyr and Gorth, the one was a bit older. Both were tall, with broad shoulders and arms, and they had amazing colors. The older one had dark blue hair and his skin seemed also blueish. The other one was as colorful but his blue was a bit greenish. Both had darker patterns on the skin that looked like tattoos representing scales. Both had azur blue eyes.

Both had their chest bare but were wearing epaulets and armbands that seemed to be made of stone or nacred reef, along with skirt-like tunics made of seaweed. They also had jewels, a necklace made of pearls and teeth – surely coming from marine mamals. What stood out the most for the viking chief was the scars they had on each side of their neck and ribs, three parallels lines that looked like Frost's gills.

If their strong stature was not enough to make them intimidating, their nacred trident did. Both weapons were a dark green covered with nacred reflects, the spike in the middle was two times longer than the other two and seemed to be dreadfully sharp.

Frost froze, looking flaberghasted at the two men. They had legs ! While the blue-green one seemed to be relieved but on guard, the blue one was furious.

''Cörail ? Limönn ?'' Frost gasped.

''Hi, Fröstkel.'' The green said, waving.

''You ungrateful brat !'' The first one barked while stomping towards them. ''Do you have the slightest idea how arduous it had been for us to find you ?! The king is sick worried because of you and what you have done !''

He harshly grabbed the boy by the arm and yanked him to the edge of the river, making him drop the fur cloak. Co¨rail was squeezing so hard it was a miracle he had not broken Frost's arm, and the boy thought that Igvid was actually weak compared to his brother. Still he wiggled and tried to get free from the deadly grip.

''Ow, stop it ! It hurts !''

''I do not care ! You will come with us right us, we get back to the palace !''

''No !''

He tried to tear his arm out of his brother's hand, but froze as he met Cörail's glare. While keeping the boy's arm in his left hand, he used the irght one to grab his nape and make him look up at him.

''I really hope for you I misheard what you said.''

Frost gulped with fear, and Hiccup thought he knew why. Seeing how harsh and violent that guy was, it reminded the chief of the bruises the boy had when he first came to Berk. So Huccp guessed this man was the one who had hit Frost. It was obvious they knew each other.

''Let go of this boy right away !'' The chief ordered. ''Who do you think you are ?!''

The blue man glared at the chief and let go of Frost, almost pushing him down into the water, before fulling facing the viking. Cörail was larger and taller, towering over him, but the viking was brave and stubborn. Frost suddenly had a bad feeling about the confrontation. He knew his brother all too well and, being offended like this by a stranger, there was only one possible reaction the prince could have.

So the boy panicked and lung to the blue merman's ankle, grabbing it in try to hold him back.

''No, stop ! Leave him alone !''

Hiccup didn't like the fear on Frost face. He was not afraid of the blue man, nor was he afraid for himself, he was afraid for the chief, as if he knew he was in danger. Was the blue man such a dreadful warrior ?

The blue man yanked his feet out of Frost's grip and towered over the viking chief, eyes sharp and fierce.

''I am Cörail, and here is my brother Limönn. We are the princes of Santaklaussen, and are officially mandated to find Fröstkel and get him back to our king.''

''The king… ?'' Hiccup gawked.

He looked back at Frost, who was still as scared and waryly watching the blue man.

''It's time to get back home, now.'' The green man said to Frost.

''No.''

''Are you still protesting ?!'' Cörail barked.

The fear in Frost's blue eyes faded away, replaced by a spark Hiccup had never seen before in him. Determination.

''You'll tell Father that I'm sorry, but I won't come back. I found my place here, a real home where I am free.''

''Free ?!''

Something seemed to snap in Cörail's mind, making his anger explode. When he rose a hand, everyone thought he was going to slap Frost, but instead he kneeled in front of him and took his hsoulders, shaking him as if he was trying to put some wisedom in him. His expression was something Frost had never seen before, it was a mixture of sorrow and worry.

''Do you really think he likes to lock you up ?Fröstkel, you have no idea how much in danger you are here !''

''What danger ?'' Hiccup worried.

''Quiet, human ! It is none of your business !''

Frost pushed away his brother's arms and added a hit on the man's shoulder, making him start.

''Don't talk to him like this !'' Frost growled.

The blue man got angry and took the white merman by the waist, yanking him over his broad shoulder. Frost panicked and started to trash restlessly, already choking. Cörail noticed and, in a swift but panicked gesture, threw the merman in the water. Hiccup had to admit this panic surprised him, just like the gaze the two men exchanges, stunned and worried as if they weren't expecting Frost to choke.

Cörail shook his head, walked back to the river and, scowl back in place, grabbed the boy's wrist.

''Ow !'' Frost exclaimed.

''You are coming with us, weither you like it or not.''

''Enough, leave him alone !'' Hiccup ordered.

The chief unsheated his sword, the blade blazing in flames instantly. Both men jolted and looked at the weapon, eyes wide in fear, then frowning in anger.

''Now what do you think you are doing ?'' Cörail warned. ''Are you defying us, human ? You dare to step into the king's way ?''

''There's no king, here. You are on my territory, and this boy is part of my clan. If you want him, you'll have to get him over my dead body.''

''Chief, no !''

Cörail let go of the boy's wrist and held on his trident with both hands. He nodded to Limönn who did the same, both readying themselve for fight. Frost tried to climb on the edge of the rim, but if the slippery rocks didn't hold him back, the fact he couldn't breath out of water did.

''No !'' He wailed, stop it !''

Noone listened to him. Neither the chief, neither his brothers.

A terrible fight started when Cörail gave the first blow. Hiccup dodged it and struck back, but what his sword hit was Limönn's trident. The chief was a good fighter and had an advantage with his flamming sword, but Frost's brothers were well-trained warriors, and they were two against one. This fight was far from fair, and the white-haired merman couldn't do anything to put an end to it, he couldn't even pull himself out of water. All he could do was watch and try over and over again to reason them and scream for them to stop.

Weapons clashed against one another, each blow filling the cave with echoing smashes. Frost wondered how his borthers' tridents could handle the sharp sword and the bite of the fire. Santaklaussen's reef was a really resistant…

Still stuck in the water, feeling completely useless, he found himself hypnotized by the impressive and agressive choregraphy in front of him. Even if his brothers were two of the mightiest warriors of the reef city – if not the bests – the chief was handling them rather good. Surely this was because he was in his elements, unlike the mermen.

Another thing caught Frost's attention, it was the fact Limönn and Cörail's legs were not weak and shaky like his had been. For how long the two mermen had been wandering the land searching for him ? They couldn't have been for more than two months and a half, the time he had spent on Berk. How had they find him that quickly ? How had they just find him ? And where had they get their totems from ? And what objects was it, exactly ? Was it their necklaces ?

Some many questions were flooding his mind, but getting answers to it would mean their victory over the viking, and he didn't want that. He didn't wanted either the chief to harm them. He just wanted them to stop the fight. If he could just get a hand on their totems and take it from them to send them back to the water… If he could just get closer to them…

Suddenly, Cörail struck harder and forced the chief to ward it, and the merman kept on pushing on his weapon to block the viking. That's when Limönn skirt them both and pushed the viking on the ground. Hiccup didn't have the time to register it he found himself laying on his back, a trident pressed on his throat.

''No !'' Frost screamed. ''Leave him alone !''

Cörail nodded to his brother, who headed towards the third merman. He plunged next to him, his body turning back into merman form – without the usual flash of light Frost had gotten used to – and swam to his younger brother. He hoisted him over his shoulder, still making sure the boy's guills were underwater, while said boy wiggled and struggled, yelling even more.

''Cörail, please ! Don't hurt him !''

The blue man gave a puzzled look to the white merman, meeting his pleading look full of silver tears.

''I won't let you take him.'' Hiccup said firmly.

He made use of the distraction to pick up his sword and smash away the merman's trident, which clattered a few steps away. Cörail was taken by surprise but Limönn proved faster. Hiccup only had the time to stand and lift his sword he was stopped abruptly. He barely felt the pain, at first.

However, when he looked down, he found the tip of the second trident burried deep in his stomach. Limönn glared at him and yanked his weapon out, releasing blood and pain at the same time. Hiccup choked, the air stolen from his lungs, and dropped to his knees. Frost, still perched on the green man's shoulder, struggled even more and panicked despite his own choking.

''Nice shot, brother.'' Cörail praised, then his smirk faded when he looked at Frost. ''Now let us go before the kid die on us.''

He picked up his own weapon and gave a last look to his victime vefore following his brother in the water. They plunged in the river within the cave and followed its current towards the ocean, not minding the man bleeding out they left behind.

Hiccup stayed on his knees, hands pressed on his wounds, he was paralyzed and couldn't even blink. All his senses were getting numb, but still he managed to see the retreating shapes in the water, leaving with a still struggling Frost.

''No, don't leave him like this ! We have to help him ! Chief !''

And that's the last thing he heard before everything turned black around him.

Once they reached the vastness of the ocean, Frost was wiggling so much Limönn was starting to have troubles holding him back.

''Enough, Fröstkel !'' It was not often the bleu-green merman would loose his temper, but somehow Frost had manage to make it possible that day. ''Will you stop it ?''

''You killed him ! How could you ?!''

''If he had not interpose, he would still be alive. We warned him.'' Cörail stated coldly. ''Now we are heading back home.''

''How do I have to tell you ?! I don't want to got back to Santaklaussen ! Here is my home !''

''A merman on land, ha ! This is a good one, you do not even have legs to begin with. Not mentioning you can not breath air.''

''I could ! I had a totem, I just lost it but it's just a matter of time before I get it ba-''

''Enough, I do not wish to hear one more word.''

Cörial sounded even more upset all of a sudden, as if the word 'totem' had triggered something in him.

''Orders are orders, no one can oppose to the king's will, and he orders us to bring you back to him. To safety.''

''You are the heirs, you don't have to obey him ! For sea's sake, how can you do this to me ? We are brothers !''

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Cörail's face was stoical, and since Frost was still on Limönn's shoulder, he couldn't see said merman's face. Still, he could feel a whole new tension in the water around them.

When they were finally out of the reefs surrounding the island, they stopped. Frost was waiting for the slightest distraction from them to get away. Granted he was short and weak compared to them, but he was way faster than them.

''Cörail,'' Limönn called out with a sad voice. ''should we tell him ?''

''Tell me what ?'' Frost hesitated, worried.

He had never heard his brother sound that sad. Cörail frowned and turned towards the youngest. His face was stern, sterner than usual.

''We are not your brothers, Fröstkel.''

''… What ?''

The boy was so chocked he completely forgot about his escape plan, and Cörail made use of it. He grabed his wrist and locked a fetter around it. The chain was thin and decorated with white nacre, but it was still chains.

''What are you doing ?!''

''Making sure you will not escape. We have up to three days of travel awaiting for us, I do not wish to spend them swimming after your shrimp tail.''

Frost looked down at the chain and noticed the other end was tied to his elder's armband. So there was no way he could make Cörail drop the chain. He was traped. And yet it wasn't what was occupying his mind the most.

''You scared me, Cörail, I almost believed you !''

''It is the truth.'' Limönn assured. ''Cörail and I are brothers, but we are not yours.''

''… Are you saying this because we don't have the same mother ? I know we didn't got along all the time, but-''

''You are really slow !'' Cörail grunted. ''We are not brothers ! We do not have the same mother nor the same father ! We are just a cover !''

Frost was even more confused, now. Emotional shock left him paralyzed, which allowed the two mermen to drag him away from Berk.

''Frost !'' A voice yelled from behind them.

The white merman turned around and saw Baby Tooth rushing towards them. But Cörial stopped her by pointing his trident to her.

''Stop !'' Frost panicked. ''Leave her alone !''

He was still shocked by what had just happened to the chief and hated how he had been helpless and couldn't save him, so there was no way he was letting this happen again, especially to Baby Tooth. He swam and pulled as hard as he could on the chains so he could protect her with his own body, wrapping his arms around the small beluga.

''What are you doing, Fröstkel ?'' Cörail grunted.

''She's my friend, you won't harm her !''

''Frost, what's going on… ?'' Baby Tooth stuttered, shaking lightly.

''We bring him back to the palace.'' The blue merman spatted.

''No, you can't !''

When she tried to nudge Frost away, the elder merman shook his trident to her menacingly, forcing Frost to squeeze her tighter, keeping her hiden behind him. He was really scared Cörail would hurt her, he knew his brother was capable to, but he couldn't let her die too.

In the ocean, he only had her. She was the only one who had been by his side and understood him. He couldn't let anything happen to her.

''If you stand against the will of the king, we will have to kill you.''

''It's okay, sweet tooth…'' Frost murmured to her, hugging her close. ''Let them do.''

''But, but… What about Berk ? And the dragons ? And Nuff ? I thought you were happy here ?''

''I can't loose you too !''

'' 'Too' ?'' She gasped.

As she stared into the silver tears-filled eyes of her friend, she felt her stomach drop.

''They just killed the chief.''

''No…''

''Nuff lost his father because of me, and I lost my totem…''

''But they'll lock you up again.''

''I don't have a choice, Baby Tooth.''

''That you don't.'' Cörail stated. ''Come on, hurry up.''

He pulled at the chain, almost forcing Frost to let go of his best friend.

''You rotten fishes !'' The beluga fumed. ''How do you dare do this to him ?!''

''The king ordered to.''

The haughty tone of the prince infuriated even more the usually shy beluga. She had never liked Limönn and him, since they were making fun of Frost's scrawniness and being mean to him. But now she was actually meeting them face to face, it was confirmed, she hated them. If Frost wasn't holding her back, she would have already ripped off their fins. The boy felt her anger and squeezed a bit more.

When he layed his forehaed against hers, she calmed down a bit.

''I have to go, Baby Tooth, but we'll see each other again. Promise.''

''I'm the one to make this promise.''

She looked intently at him and, for a moment, he thought she seemed older and wiser than she actually was. She spoke again, but this time her voice was just a whisper so only the two of them could hear.

''I'll get help, we're coming to rescue you.''

He smiled warmly at her, though his heart was aching. A few new tears rolled down his cheeks as he stroked her head. She couldn't tell if he was crying because of Hiccup's death, because he had just lost his newfound freedom or because he was not believing in this rescue operation. Maybe it was a mixture of all ?

He hugged her again, and the tiny beluga felt like it was farewell, ad she hated it. If she could shed tears, she would be crying with him.

''Thank you Baby Tooth, I'm lucky to have such a friend as you.''

''Can we get going ?'' Cörail asked out of patience.

He pulled again at the chains, this time separating the two friends, and that's when Baby Tooth and Frost noticed there was something missing.

''My bracelet !'' Frost panicked and started to look frantically around them.

''Nevermind that.'' The blue merman scolded, pulling the younger one closer to him.

As the threesome was starting to swim away, Baby Tooth tried to follow and yelled so her friend could hear her.

''I'll find it ! And then I'll find you !''

Frost, while being dragged by his brothers like a lifeless cargo, looked over his shoulder at the retreating form of his best friend who was still trying to follow them, not to avail. She had never been fast enough to keep up with merfolk. The more she was disappearing out of his sight, the more he felt his heart breaking.