Truly sorry for the delay. Enjoy chapter 12!
The Northern Markets.
If there was one place Hiccup wished he could've avoided in this whole story, it was this cursed island.
The isle itself was lovely. Its vegetation rich and varied; healthy grass, trees, and other greens. The land was hilly and mountainous in certain places, but a remarkably large area along the shoreline allowed the docking of ships and the built of the market. It was amazing how every tree was still standing. Hiccup blamed it on the land being neutral to wars, meaning the land belonged to no one in particular and made it illegal to draw from its natural resources. If it hadn't been the case, Hiccup doubted the island would still be livable. He supposed some Vikings, even Hunters and Trappers, still possessed some sort of humanity in them to not have taken control of the markets already.
Still. As beautiful as it looked from afar from where they stood on the deck of their vessel, Hiccup knew all too well the dangers that lurked on its surface.
They managed to dock casually without drawing too much attention on them. It was already afternoon by then. With the wind blowing in the other direction of their destination, it had taken them much longer than anticipated. It wouldn't take long before the sun went down again. As lively and welcoming as the markets could look in the daytime, once the sun went down, it was a whole other world.
"Zephyr, stay close," warned Hiccup, taking her hand as she walked alongside him.
They pulled on the hoods of their cloaks, initially brought for protection against harsh weather. The last thing they wanted was to wander with their faces revealed to the public. Who knew who would recognize the Dragon Conqueror, even after all these years. And Viggo. Despite his reputation, it was better to keep caution and not create any suspicion by their mere presence.
Viggo led the way, walking through the clamouring crowd of Vikings seeking to buy items; mainly food and other basic necessities. The time of fancy jewels and exotic fabrics was behind them. People needed to buy and trade essentials to survive. Hiccup watched as they walked by, noticing the miserable faces and pleading body languages of Vikings seeking to feed and shelter their families while others stood strong and proud, mercilessly aiming their weapons down at them to move along when they couldn't afford it. He caught the eyes of Vikings gathered in the shade, studying them head to toe as if they could be potential victims to steal from. Hiccup glared their way, keeping Zephyr close. He wanted to whisper to Viggo, ask whether there was an alternative to this. But he held back, knowing the ex-Hunter would deny his request right away. They were already in the heart of it. They couldn't back down now.
Viggo finally stopped by a building humming loudly with loud clamouring. Laughter and breaking glass filled the inside, the warm glow of lanterns streaming out through its windows. Vikings gathered near its entrance, speaking discreetly while eyeing the newcomers. Viggo didn't meet their hostile stares for a moment, standing tall with his chin held high. Hiccup lowered his head as Zephyr hid under his cloak undetected. They made their way inside, walking around carefully until they found a seat in a corner booth where they sat, away from prying eyes.
"Now what?" whispered Hiccup, leaning forward to Viggo who scanned their surroundings. Hiccup wouldn't describe the bar as lively. It was gloomy, half cast in shadows - mainly ex-soldiers of various tribes, Hiccup realized. Which didn't come much as a surprise.
"We wait," replied Viggo, his dark brown eye attentive on the activity that surrounded them. His scarred face hid under the cloak, dragging not too many eyes on them. Hiccup looked around, trying to understand what he was up to.
"Care to share your master plan to find what we're looking for?" asked Hiccup, keeping his voice low and steady.
"The less you know, the easier it'll be," replied Viggo dryly, never turning around to look at him. "Just follow my lead, and everything will go swiftly. Whatever happens, don't make a scene."
Just as he finished his sentence, a duo of Vikings walked by their table, casting a curious look their way. Hiccup hoped they'd keep walking. But they didn't.
"It's been a while since I've seen new faces around here," spoke the soldier, his dragon-skin fabrics indicating he was either an ex-Hunter of Trapper. He spoke charmingly and with much confidence. "What brings you all the way out here to this side of the Archipelago, my friends?"
"Where else is a man down on his luck supposed to go during these dark times?" said Viggo, his voice hoarse and steady as he drew a hand out to trace the wooden table.
"Aah... another unfortunate soul seeking shelter, I see," said the stranger, sharing a glance with his partner who chuckled darkly. He turned back to Viggo, a smile printing on his lips. "Well, you've come to the right place."
"How so?" asked Hiccup, deepening his voice and making his best to sound mostly uninterested in whatever offer he was about to try to sell them.
"These are dark times, as you've stated," said the Viking, grabbing an empty chair from a nearby table, swinging it around to have a seat with them. "Every since the departure of the dragons, everything has changed. We live in an era of chaos. Desperate Vikings from all around the Archipelago travel here, seeking hope, just as you are."
"And what hope could you possibly have to offer?" asked Hiccup, an edge to his tone. He felt Viggo slam his knee against his, suggesting to keep it cool.
"Well, the return of the dragons, of course," said the stranger as if the answer had been obvious. He glanced around rapidly before leaning forward, whispering. "We've been growing in numbers, and our search for the Dragon Conqueror will soon begin... And with the dragons back, humanity will thrive again like never before."
"How do you figure?" demanded Hiccup, his vapid face still submerged in the shadow of his hood. He thanked the stories his physical description did not match reality. "A world with dragons brought nothing but war among Vikings. H-How is this new Viking era going to be any different?"
"Vikings were only at war with each other because of those who worshipped the beasts," explained the ex-soldier, and Hiccup wished he could roll his eyes and express his exasperation. "This organization is growing stronger, and together, we will wipe out those troublesome tribes and reorganize the Archipelago so that only the strongest and most powerful tribes can rule. It's the only way to ensure a secure and stable society."
Hiccup wanted to say so much. He felt the fire light up inside of him and the energy build up as adrenaline rushed through his veins. But he held back, biting his tongue when he felt Viggo's energy on him reminding him to stand down.
"And what about this organization?" prompted Viggo, folding his hand and leaning forward, indicating his interest in the proposal. "Say we do join. What's in it for us?"
"More than you could ever dream of..." replied the stranger, smiling promisingly. "Wealth, respect... a future."
Viggo hummed, twirling his tongue, looking like he might consider.
"We'll think about it," he replied, smiling back.
"Of course," agreed the soldier before nodding firmly and getting back up to seek more recruits.
Hiccup watched him go, his scowl evident as he walked away. They bit their tongue until they were sure he was no longer within earshot to eavesdrop on their follow-up conversation.
"Well, we're not dealing with any Warlords," confirmed Viggo, rethinking the promises of the offer. "I've never heard a sale's pitch sound so desperate."
"If he's directly linked to the head of the operation, we need to follow him," said Hiccup, following the stranger's every move as he stopped to talk with other Vikings. "If we can find their leader, we can talk with them and change their minds. Let's go-"
Hiccup didn't even get the chance to get back up completely when Viggo sat him back down hurriedly, his hand on his shoulder. Hiccup scowled at him crossly, disbelieving him. He wanted to lash out at him, tell him they only had one shot. But the expression on the ex-Hunter's face stopped him and he followed his gaze, easily spotting their newest concern.
Berserkers.
Oh, just perfect.
"We've got company..." whispered Viggo, lowering his head and avoiding eye contact with the two soldiers as they scanned the room, spear in hand.
"I can see that," hissed Hiccup, still upset with the stranger's sale's pitch and everything it involved; from the search to find him and the fact that they planned on murdering all of his friends and allies.
He reached to grab Zephyr's hand, only to close on nothing.
"Zephyr?" he whispered, glancing quickly under the table to see her small form crawling away on her hands and knees. "Zephyr, get back here!" But she either completely ignored him or did not hear him because she hopped back on her two feet and disappeared into the crowd of drunken Vikings, following after the stranger that had informed them about the movement.
"Leave it, we can't risk getting spotted," said Viggo, stopping him before he went after her. He eyed the Berserker soldiers uneasily, already sensing their attention on them. Their mere presence had triggered tension among the crowd.
"That's my daughter," hissed Hiccup, getting up without hesitation and forgetting the whole plan as he went after her.
The Vikings were already shouting insults the Berserkers' way, throwing fists and drunkenly attempting a few punches. Viggo got why. The soldiers' shiny armour and fancy sharp weapons made it obvious they were of a wealthy tribe. They stood out, showing off. The Northern Markets weren't their place to be. He thanked the crowd though, for distracting them while he went after Hiccup, praying to the Gods if they could slip out undetected. But he doubted they'd get the chance and luck to do so. He tried to keep up with Hiccup as the crowd got more and more agitated by the Berserkers' arrival.
Hiccup sensed the adrenaline rushing through his limbs as he shoved Vikings out of his way and called his daughter's name, trying to see her through the moving crowd. He twisted and turned, fearing she'd gotten kidnapped already. He shut out the voices while the sound of his breathing filled his ears. It was too crowded; too overwhelming, and Hiccup finally snapped. He reached for his weapon strapped to his thigh and swung the blade out. The Monstrous Nightmare gel-coated metal caught aflame instantly, scattering the crowd as rapidly. Yelps of surprise and gasps of astonishment echoed around the room before falling dead quiet. All eyes turned to admire the flaming sword, but most importantly, the man holding it. The dark auburn locks dangled before his eyes as he lowered his weapon and met the stares.
Whispers rapidly circulated about the Dragon Conqueror.
"Hey, you!" shouted one of the Berserker soldiers, approaching him authoritatively. "Where is he?"
"Right here," replied Viggo from behind the soldier before throwing a punch that knocked him out cold.
It didn't take much longer for the crowd to respond as well and throw themselves at the other Berserker. Viggo quickly fled the wave of angry Vikings, ducking blows. He straightened back up and dusted himself off satisfyingly before turning back to face Hiccup.
But the ex-Rider was gone.
Alarm settled in his core like an anchor dropping in the water. He dropped his cloak to the ground, seeing no reason to hide his identity now. He twisted and turned, trying to catch a glimpse, anything. He mumbled under his breath furiously, balling his fists to his sides as he made his way to the back door. He should've known something like this would happen. He stepped outside, rapidly moving. He could barely believe it when he saw Zephyr call his name. He twisted around, seeing the little girl run his way enthusiastically.
"Viggo!" she called, and Viggo crouched, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I found it. I found where they took my Dad!"
Viggo sighed a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and straightened back up, patting her head approvingly.
"Good lass," he said shakily, gesturing her to lead the way.