A Son of Ice and Fire

Chapter 25: Where loyalty lies

Snotlout

"Are you sure you can do this?" Dagur questioned, as he turned to me and gave me a cynical look.

"It's your plan, don't blame me if it doesn't work. You do know this is crazy right?" I responded skeptically.

"Crazy's what I do best!" Dagur exclaimed.

"Well, we're too far in to turn back now. We're both idiots, aren't we?" I chuckled. Dagur laughed, but as he turned back around, the sound was drowned out by the clinking of metal as he faced the front. I stood behind him, looking at the rope binding his hands behind his back and the metal chain clamped around his neck. I released the oars, as we slid over the water silently. "You do know that if this goes wrong, he'll probably kill us both." I said nervously. As the small row boat reached the dock and we stood on dry land, I tied it in place. I picked up the other end of Dagur's chain, with it feeling like it's about to slip through my fingers, but I grasped on tight. I can't let this go. I can't let this plan fail. I need to get this done. He nodded to me as we both breathed out heavily. "Here goes nothing." I joked, as we ascended the stairs and stood stiffly on the pier, in full view of father's castle. Somehow it no longer feels like home.

Dagur cracked his neck against the restraint above his shoulders, "we'll be fine Snotlout, there's something more important than both of us he left behind. He won't kill us both until he has it back." He said confidently, before halting in his tracks. "Shove me forward, this needs to look believable." He whispered quickly, as we saw movement far in the distance. As we inched forward, I gave him a gentle nudge in the back. "God brother, are you a girl? There's more chance of Spitelout welcoming me with a hug than them buying that pathetic push. Come on, shove me." He growled.

"Fine!" I grunted under my breath, before relaxing the chain a foot or two and barging him forward, knocking him off balance. He muttered incoherently under his breath, as he picked himself off of his knees and stood back to his feet.

"That's better brother. We might actually have this work." He said quietly, as we now saw men coming running down towards us. A dozen armed soldiers approached slowly now, all dressed in the black and grey armour. I emerged from Dagur's side, as the men formed two banks of six, now pinning us between them and a drop into the water to the sides and behind us.

"IS THAT ANYWAY TO WELCOME YOUR LORDS HOME?" I exclaimed sternly. It took a moment, but soon one of the men stepped forward. He walked closer, a confused look on his face, but he eventually sheathed his sword before speaking.

"My apologies, Lord Snotlout. We weren't expecting anyone at this time, especially not you. Your father told us that you had passed away." The man said, getting quite flustered,

"HAHAHAHAHA YES!" Dagur exclaimed. "Welcome to the club brother. Spitelout's disowned both us." He cackled loudly. The soldier stepped back a pace, now showing an even clearer sense of bewilderment than moments before. He stared at Daglout, mouth open and unable to speak. "Yes. Lord Daglout Jorgenson is finally home at last. Go be a dear and get my beloved father, I'm sure he'd be ever so happy to know two of his dead sons and home and are all safe and sound." Dagur said in a soft, sarcastic tone. Without speaking, the man turned gingerly, nodding to one of the other men, who quickly rushed off back towards the castle.

"While I'd love to stay here and chat in the cold, could you let us past?" I asked calmly. The man in front nodded quickly, before he stepped to the side. Dagur remained still, so I played the part and gave him a firm shove between the shoulder blades. He grunted but started to move. An odd look from a few of the men as I walked past with Dagur tied and chained was all we got, as we reached the top and made for the castle gates. Everything was going to plan. Now we just had father to deal with.

Tuffnut

Johann had sailed his ship around the back of the island to drop us off on the secluded south of the island, after the other two had taken Johann's personal row boat to get to land. It was nearing dark, as me and the man in armour jumped off of the deck into the sea. The water was too shallow for Johann to dock, so we had to fight the currents to finally reach solid land. I thought the fool in heavy armour would drown because of the weight of it, but somehow it was twenty minutes later and we had finally reached land. As we rested on the sand, I turned to face him.

"You didn't have to come with me, she's my sister." I argued.

"A knight's duty is to protect. I can't let an innocent die, especially one I failed to protect." The bald man said with a hint of anger. He was far taller and had wide shoulders, and he was not the sort of the person you'd want to get in a fight with.

"Oh, so you are a knight. I knew it. You're wearing armour, of course you're a knight." I exclaimed gleefully. "Ruff owes me two pints of mead."

"I'm not a knight because I wear armour." He growled.

"I know. I know. But it's because of the amour everyone knows you're a knight." I continued. The man turned and gave me an angry glare. "All right. All right. Keep your hair on." I said defensively, the hand I put up to cover my mouth not quick enough to muffle the words. His angry glare went form a level seven to a level ten, as his entire face seemed to crinkle with anger. "I'll shut up now." I said quickly, as I got up and rushed past him, not daring to look back. "We better get going, the other two will be in soon." I shouted back

It took about forty-five minutes, but I eventually found the old sewage tunnels. Dagur had told us about this secret passageway. That he had used it as a child to get out of the castle, and that he'd used these to escape, the day he left for the last time. As I reached the entrance, the darkness of the tunnels seemed to engulf me. I tensed up, almost breaking down in a panic. This is all happening too quickly. If I don't find her. If I get caught. She's dead. Dagur and his brother are dead. It's too much. I looked down and I could see my heart pulsing out of my chest. I hunched over, trying to calm my breathing down. I can do this. I can get save you sister. I'll take you home. I dropped to my knees, closing my eyes, and speaking softly.

"May the lord of light protect me.

May he guide me with his fire.

May he light my way through the darkness.

May he give me the strength to fight on when all seems lost.

May his will see me true.

For the night is dark and full of terrors."

I rose slowly, using two rocks on the ground to light a branch I found nearby. The flames flickered, and the chaos of the fire restored a sense of calm. I turned and signaled to the knight that I had found the entrance, and he soon came strolling up towards me. I crouched low to the ground, my knees nearly scraping the floor, but I managed to squeeze into the confined space. The larger man was not so lucky, having to get on his hands and knees to fit through the narrow tube. Single fire, and getting coated in more and more mud, dirt, shit, and dirty stagnant water, we inched through the passageway.

"So what can I call you?" I asked tentatively. After earlier, a sword plunged into my back is not the last thing I'd expect. I got no response, just the clanking of metal on metal as his armour continuously clattered against the sides of the tunnel. "I can't just keep calling you Knight."

"Sir. Call me Sir. That would be a start." He barked coldly.

"Come on. I don't ask you to call me 'my lord'. You must have a name."

"I lost my name when I lost my family. Sir is just fine."

"Sorry, Sir, i didn't mean to hit a nerve. I was just trying to lighten the mood."

"I just want to complete the mission and get away from these godforsaken islands. I can do that easier if you would just shut up." He snapped. "Don't you learn that you should just shut up." I ignored him and continued moving forward, but as I kept going, I couldn't help running my fingers along the side of my cheek where a couple of bruises and a scar still remained from when I went too far with Ruff.

As we reached the end of the tunnel, the pipe finished to a drop of a few feet. The light of the fire just enough to prevent me from barreling head first to a rough fall. As we carefully dropped down onto the rocky stone floor, a slight light could be seen above us. With the makeshift torch almost burnt down to my fingers, I let it go and headed towards the light. Up a unsteady rocky staircase and a rusted rickety ladder, we reached a heavy steel door. I grabbed the handle with two hands, as I tried to slide it across. I put all my might into it, but to no avail. Two more attempts later and I heard a unsatisfied groan behind me.

"Let me." The knight grunted, as he shoved me to the side and grasped the thick metal handle with both hands. "COME ON. COME ON. COME ON." A few seconds of silence followed, as it remained closed. But then we heard it. It was faint but we both heard it. CLICK. As the latch opened, the door slowly began to be pried open. The door opened a foot or so, before it jammed in place. "Come on. Not now. Not now." The knight said quietly, as we didn't know what was to await us on the other side. He swore under his breath and turned to punch the rock wall behind him. "Go. You can get through that gap. I can't. Go get your sister. I'll find another way through." I moved towards him, but he just pointed to the opening in the doorway. "Go, my lord, she needs you." His body still turned to the wall, I backed up and slid sideways through the opening. Hang on Ruff, I'm coming for you.

Snotlout

As the gates opened, I was looking around nervously as we entered into the heart of the castle. A large figure caught my eyes from a distance, with his sidekick by his side. As he marched closer, the angry scowl on father's face was made clearer and clearer. The same disdain in his eyes he looked at Dagur with, now he is looking at me the same way. Viggo strolled up at his side, a sinister smirk plastered across his face. Father didn't speak, he just stood there in front of us, an aura of anger eradiating from his very being.

"Dad, I've home. We want to make the trade." I said strongly, pumping my chest out to try to portray some level of confidence. Viggo let out a deep sigh, as he shook his head and covered his face with his hand. Father stared at me, and I held his gaze. Not breaking for a moment. I wouldn't crack. It seemed to work, as it was him who snapped away first. He turned his head, curling his fist up into a ball, before lunging forward and landing his fist deep into Dagur's gut. As he keeled over, he was hit again, this time the blow landing across his cheek. As the blow sent him back, I released the chain, and he fell. As he lay on the floor, back to Spitelout, dad stood looking over him fist clenched. I rushed between them, facing father, once more locking eyes with him. "YOU KILL HIM. YOU'LL HAVE TO KILL ME TOO. OR AM I ALREADY DEAD FATHER?" I screamed in his face.

Before I knew it, his shoulder had raised, and I saw it at the last second. I closed my eyes, but it didn't shield the impact. As my father's blow caught me straight in the blow, I dropped back, falling flat on my arse as I backed away I held my face, feeling the blood gushing across my fingers and down my arm. Before I was struck again, Dagur wearily stepped up. He stood tall, his arms still tied behind his back. His shoulders were raised high and proud, and his head held high and defiant, he stared down Spitelout. "My brother told you we are ready to make the trade. You've had your fun. Now start acting like a man." Dagur stated coldly.

The eerie silence that followed was broken only by the loud crack of bone as Spitelout struck him again. Once more, Dagur fell to the floor, but once more he got up to face Spitelout again. There was blood spewing from his bust lip, and from the gash on his cheek, but with no fear he looked defiantly into the man's eyes. "We have come to make the trade, my lord, let his madness end." As I looked around, the entire castle was silent. Every single person seemed to be watching on. Dagur was unarmed and defenseless, but his defiance to be beaten down was making lord Jorgenson look weak. I could see the unease on Spitelout's face, as he clenched his fist once more.

"Your orders, my lord?" Viggo asked, obviously unhappy with the direction it was heading. Spitelout stepped back a pace or two, growling under his breath.

"Take these two traitors. Lock them in the cells. NOW!" He commanded. Viggo stomped over, grabbing my arm and dragging me to my feet. Spitelout stormed off away from everyone, but I saw Dagur turn to me and grin before he was grabbed by two men and shoved forward.

"DAD, I…" I yelled after him.

"ENOUGH!" He shrieked, as he turned back to face us from the other side of the courtyard. "You've thrown your lot in with him. YOU ARE NOT A JORGENSON. YOU ARE NOT MY SON!"