She was beautiful. Dagur couldn't take his eyes off her as she effortlessly skun the huge animal and attached it to a large board. Watching her use the tool in her hand so effortlessly left him speechless for a few minutes until he croaked out,
"Beautiful."
She talked more. He understood coat and hide but that was it. More than ever he wished he could understand her and that he could speak her language. It would make things so much easier. Vivian had said she had some tools to help him learn. Now he eagerly wanted to use them.
Once again she poked at the carcass of the large animal but this time she made a happy noise as the tip of her knife slid in. She grabbed a saw, crafted in a style he'd never seen before, and began cutting into it. Between her knife and the saw she had the large animal cut down into still large but easier to handle chunks. He got up to look at them as she set them on a large table.
It smelled strongly of deer but he had never seen a deer that large in his lifetime. If they had deer this large at the Archipelago the dragons would be sated daily. The two dogs that were in the building stood next to him, heavily drooling as they looked at the meat. Iris said something harshly and both dogs moved away. She glared at them as she dropped another section of the animal on the table.
The head sat on the ground now instead of hanging in the air. The antlers were wide and extremely impressive. They could be used to make a shield or even armor. He leaned closer to touch the antlers, still in awe.
"What?" he asked. He had learned that word easily thanks to Jon.
"Moose," Iris said. She stood next to him and touched the antlers. "Antlers." So that was how they said it. She made a trumpeting sound. "Bull."
He nodded. He had already figured it was a male. There had to be some dangerous predators if a female of this species had such an impressive antler. It was big enough he could lay between the antlers.
She smelled like blood and pines. It was an interesting combination given she was butchering the large creature. It made Dagur wonder if she always smelled like pines or if it was because of the animal as well. A painful throb from his chest wound made him wince and grunt. Iris said something anxiously and made him sit down. She began putting the meat in a large white chest.
Once done she grabbed her coat before hurrying over to him. She helped him up and made him lean on her. Matching his speed they slowly followed the path to the cabin. Dagur had been shocked to see so much snow, especially since there hadn't been any when he and Shattermaster ruined Ryker's trap. That explosion sent him somewhere far that was for sure.
"Overdid it?" Vivian asked as Iris opened the door and said something anxiously. "You have her worried."
"All I did was sit there and watch," he argued. Slowly he made his way to the table and sat down heavily in the closest chair. "I didn't even try to help even though I wanted to. How can she use a knife so perfectly to slice up such a large animal yet cuts herself sharpening it?"
"That is a question that will never be answered," Vivian drawled. She placed a steaming cup of hot milk in front of him. "Let's get you-never mind. Iris beat me to it."
Iris was next to him, undoing the coat Vivian had made him wear and carefully pulling it off. He was grateful. The thought of taking it off himself made his body hurt. She plucked off the hat he had been wearing and ran her fingers through his hair. The gesture caused a shiver down his spine. She didn't notice as she chuckled like a mother hen.
"Cold outside?" Vivian asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," he said with a cough. His face was warm but it definitely wasn't from the cold. Whatever Iris was doing she stopped to pat him on the head and give him a grin.
She was definitely a good natured girl. Her eyes were made to smile and laugh and it seemed natural for her to always gave a grin. Even though he barely knew her, her smile was infectious.
"Jon has gone to find all the tapes I need," Vivian said as Iris grabbed a mug of warm milk to drink as well. "Hopefully they will be of more help than just translating what you point at or me translating everything for you."
"I guess I'm sorry?" She just grunted. "What is that thing she was butchering? She called it a moose but I've never seen one. Is it a type of dragon?"
"No. It's a relative of the deer." She frowned and asked Iris something which she responded. "There are more deer relatives here than you've seen before. There's elk and caribou along with the moose. My husband hunts bear in the fall while both of them hunt deer and elk, sometimes moose if they get a chance. They also hunt ducks, geese, grouse, catch fish, Iris helps me forge for edible plants and tend the gardens. Usual things."
"Amazing. So there are no dragons here?"
"None. We hear of them in stories but they are just that, stories. Tall tales. They are mystical creatures along with unicorns, mermaids, fae, the like. Though now I'm not so sure." She looked troubled.
"You don't even believe in them after seeing Shattermaster? Where is the big guy anyways?"
"Dagur, there was no dragon with you. If its true, then." She hesitated but took a deep breath and looked him square in the eyes. "Dagur. This is a world different than yours if the clues are to be believed. In your world there are dragons but here there are none. Somehow you came to our world but we don't know how. Iris is convinced it was the work of magic. Your dragon maybe here or he may not be. We haven't seen him."
"Wow what did you put in this milk?" he laughed. A different world? Seriously? She stared at him steadily. "Wait. You're serious. You think I'm in some other world? That you all are in some different world? That's funny. There's no way."
"That's what we said but here you are. Alive and real in a world completely different than yours. Tell me. Have you ever heard Engkel before? Seen these things?" She gestured around the room. "Even our weapons and clothes are different than yours."
"You're lying!" She didn't jump as he slammed his hands on the table but Iris did, staring wide eyed at the two of them. "What do you take me for? An idiot? Someone who would believe such foolish things?"
"Believe what you will. However I will not sit here and have you take your anger out on me or my daughter." She stood and said something sharp to Iris who quickly got up. "Take a minute to think alone."
Dagur glared at the woman as she ushered Iris out of the room and headed into the next room. How dumb did she think he was that he'd believe her? Next she'd start saying didn't use ships or never fought with dragons. She was a convincing liar.
Sometime later Jon walked into the kitchen. Dagur respected the silent man. He had the air of a battle hardened warrior and put the safety of his family before his own. Without a word he sat across from Dagur and set a glass bottle full of light brown liquid on the table along with two glasses. He opened the bottle and poured a little liquid in each. One was pushed towards him while Jon kept the other. Silently he raised the glass before taking the whole glass in one gulp. He winced slightly but poured more into his glass.
Dagur copied him. The liquid was harsh and burned his throat but he recognized it. When he first became chief one of his men had shared a drink called whiskey with everyone during the celebration. It was a very rare drink and there had only been enough for each man to have a drink. Supposedly it came from beyond the fog that surrounded the Archipelago. He coughed, his eyes tearing up, but didn't stop Jon from pouring more.
"Your wife tells me I'm from another world," he said as he stared at the glass. "That this world has no dragons and isn't where I was born. Who would believe such nonsense." He gulped the whiskey down with another wince. "By the gods this burns! This was worth more than gold. One of my men traded a dragon head for a bottle and hoarded it. Yet here you are sharing it like its water and with a complete stranger." He laughed. "Guess I was lucky to end up here."
Jon sipped his drink, just watching him. Occasionally he made a grunt or a hm as Dagur continued ranting, talking about going to battle with his men and fighting with dragons. He stopped him from drinking the glass in one gulp when he filled it again, instead gesturing for him to sip. He made a gagging motion while pointing at the bottle. Too much would make them sick it seemed.
"I have a sister," he rambled. His whole body felt warm and tingly while his mind felt like it was moving to and fro. "Granted I knew that long ago but I thought she died. When I was young and crazy, crazier, I put her in a basket and put her in the ocean. I wanted to see how my parents would react. Well, they never showed up until she drifted out of sight. Killed my mother and my father hated me. I found her though! That's why I had to die instead of them. I bet I would die if I went into the trap but I couldn't let my sister down or my friends. None of them trusted me anyways. I sure showed them."
He swallowed hard as his throat tightened. Gods he wished things had been different. He wished he never sent his sister out to sea, that Hiccup and the others trusted him. Maybe then things would have been different. His eyes began to burn as Jon took his empty glass away.
"We are not your enemy. We want to help you. Trust us." He stared at Dagur intently, his eyes steady. With a shaky breath he nodded, accepting the man's words.
"I'm surprise you can speak Norse," he joked. Jon looked at him blankly. "I guess not?"
"He insisted I teach him that phrase," Vivian said coldly as she walked into the room. He should have known she wouldn't be far. "He claimed any veteran would take comfort from those words. It could be the whisky." She sighed. "For some foolish reason my husband and daughter trust you. Him enough to partake in day drinking with you. I set up a room for you, its on the first floor. You'll be near my daughter and let me warn you now. Try anything and I'll make you wish you died in that explosion. Understand?"
"I would never take advantage of an unwilling woman," he grumbled. "Especially not someone like her. I swear you two have Valkyrie in you. There is no way anyone could look like you two without something unworldly in your blood."
"Valkyrie," Jon said in agreement as he grinned at his wife. Vivian rolled her eyes and gestured at him.
The man walked around and helped Dagur stand up. The room was spinning. Thankfully Jon held onto him and helped him walk out of the room. Iris was sitting in the other room next to a large fireplace, weaving something. She looked at him curiously only to look away blushing when he winked at her. He ignored the glare Vivian directed at him as he was led to a door.
Inside was a small room that was dominated by a bed. Part of the wall was hollowed out and had clothes in it. A small table sat next to the bed and had a flameless torch light up. He had noticed it before in the kitchen but didn't say anything. It was odd looking but he didn't get a chance to inspect it. Jon eased him onto the bed and before his head hit the pillow Dagur was fast asleep.
